Beyond celebrity

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092525.cfm

Photo by Bibi on Unsplash

In today's Gospel, we get an interesting glimpse into the perspective that the first century Mediterranean had about Jesus Christ. This view, from someone outside of the Jewish leadership, speaks to an other-worldly impact that Jesus was bringing to the region, an impact that was far beyond mere celebrity.

As we read the scriptures, sometimes familiarity prevents us from being shocked or amazed at some of what is detailed there, but what is extremely clear is that the communities to which Jesus traveled and those surrounding were utterly dumbfounded at what was happening right in their own back yards. Consider what Herod considered as possible options for who Jesus might be: 1 - John the Baptist returned from the dead, a man that Herod himself had beheaded, and the head given as a gift to his wife. 2 - Elijah the prophet - who had at one time defeated 450 prophets of Baal by calling down fire from heaven and who did not die, but was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire. 3 - one of the other ancient prophets of the Old Testament - come back to life.

Interestingly enough, what was not on the list was a current day celebrity; a leader of a political movement or popular uprising, a sage teacher or rabbi. All of the options were other-worldly. This had to be someone who was out of this world. What Jesus was bringing to them was beyond mere human experience, and all of this was before He engaged in the most powerful and eye-opening part of His mission: the passion, death and resurrection.

In our thinking of and reflecting upon Jesus, we can see that His divinity shines through His humanity - not separate, but together - a composite. Fully human, fully divine. This reminds us that we too are a composite - body and soul. Our soul can shine through in a way that makes others somehow aware that there is something beyond this world. This is not about popularity or celebrity but about drawing others to the eternal. When we recall who Jesus is, we also come in contact with who we really are.