The Holy Martyr Julian of Tarsus (284-305)
Apostles’ Fast.
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Romans 15:17-29; Matthew 12:46-13:3
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
When we think of the identity of Jesus we most often start with what is called high Christology: Lord, God and Saviour. This is what he claims to be in his teachings and works. For this, the Jews wanted to stone him (John 10:30-33) and ultimately crucified Jesus. No other major religious leader has made these bold claims. Messengers yes, prophets yes, but never the Word of God, the icon of God and a unique definitive Son of the One God and Father. His teachings, miracles, and ultimately the resurrection point to and support these claims.
In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus’ own words that he who is Lord, God and Saviour can also be our brother. He who sits on the throne of the cherubim invites me to be family and even my brother? It is exactly because of this high Christology that our humanity is exalted to such a high relationship as to be family with Jesus. As family, we have access with Jesus to a relationship with the one God and Father. Without Jesus, there is no relationship with God for he who sees Jesus sees the Father. This is the privilege Christians have and this is what our hearts long for, but there is only one caveat: we must do the will of the Father in our lives and this will is expressed to us by the Word of God. To the extent we follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ—the Word of God—is the extent to which we fulfil the will of our Father in Heaven.