Do We Believe It?

Homily for Thursday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time

This morning I am going to do something that I haven’t done yet…preach a short homily. I think this Gospel invites us to consider a question and I want us to be able to sit with that question for a minute or two.

The Gospel we hear today is a continuation from yesterday’s Gospel passage. Jesus has just sent his disciples out across Galilee to share with others all the miracles Jesus has performed, to proclaim the Kingdom and repentance, and to drive out demons. And apparently, the disciples are being effective in getting the word out and carrying out the mission that has been entrusted to them. And we know this because many people throughout the region were beginning to wonder and ask themselves: “Who is this person named Jesus and why is He able to do the things He is doing?” Then the passage ends with Herod, the Tetrarch of Galilee asking that very same question.

Throughout the upcoming sections of the Gospel of Luke, the author will begin to reveal little-by-little exactly who Jesus is, who has given Him the authority to do the things He is doing, and what His mission is. But we know something that Herod and the people of Galilee do not know…we know the end of the story. We know exactly who Jesus is; we know who sent Him; and we know the mission that He has received. So the question that we have to ask ourselves is this: do we believe it?

Image: Herod the Tetrarch from “Killing Jesus“