FACE OF HOPE

 After Jesus and his disciples went out of the boat, the people immediately recognize him and they came to him as if he was a super hero who once save them. Going back to the previous events that had transpired in the past, Jesus was able to   heal the sick, exorcise the possessed and raised the deed.  These previous events caused an exponential growth in the believers and followers of Christ. Why? Because his face brings hope to those people that he once saved from their infirmities. A successful alumni would be given a hero’s welcome upon his return to his alma mater because he made them proud or a valiant warrior would be awarded medals of honors after emerging victorious in war. In the gospel, what the crowd made to Jesus is more than a hero’s welcome. His (Jesus) achievement is more than that of an alumni getting a high degree or a military man valiantly fighting at the expense of his life.  I believe that recognizing one’s worth is not measured  on how many decorated medals can you give or how  illustrious  welcome can you throw but on the simplest form of recognizing one’s previous act of smallest form of kindness.

 
When we are at the sunset of our lives definitely, people will not judge us how rich, famous or how influential we had become. Instead, they are going to treat us base on the things we have done to them. It is a part and parcel of reality that there could be only two things that retained in the minds of people that we encounter, it’s either our face has brought them hope or it brought them misery.   One of the unique characteristic of Jesus is he addresses first the physical needs of the people before he address the spiritual ones. Sometimes it’s a natural tendency for us to help other but do we really address what they are most in need of? The people in the gospel, recognize   Jesus immediately because they know that He alone can address their needs. No higher form of tribute we can give to those people who once serves as “a face of hope” in our life aside from recognizing their true worth. A worth that is not based on power, richness and influence. Every time we go out on the “boat of our lives”, let us always try be a “face of hope” on the least, last , and lost . “I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” -  Etienne de Grellet