Recognition is Relationship and Mission

HOMILY | Haggai 1:1-8 | Luke 9:7-9

I guess we are all familiar with the story of Odyssey. One day, having been away for so long because of the War in Troy, Odyssey the King of Ithaca went back into his homeland, dressed like a beggar so he could enter the palace and see his wife Penelope. On his way in, the people around did not recognise him. But someone did recognise him, -his dog Argus. Argus was lying on a dung heap, weak, old and tired and is actually dying. And recognising the scent of his master, he wags his tail for one last time and died. But the point is, he recognised his master. How did he do it? He heard past all other voices, and focused only to one voice, that of his master.

I believe we can learn from Argus the science of recognising the Master. In our Gospel, the disciples and Peter himself have heard many things about the Master. Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, some would have taught Jesus to be a hermit, or a wizzard, a magician, or one of the ancient prophets. There are noises which obscure our recognition of Jesus.

• Peter recognised Jesus as Christ and Son of God.

• Thomas recognised Jesus in his wounded hand and wounded side.

• Mary Magdalene recognised the risen Lord as a Gardener.

• The disciples recognised the Lord as a ghost,

• and on the sea of Tiberias they recognised him while they were fishing.

• The two disciples on the road to Emmaus recognised the Lord only when they were on the table and when he was talking about the scriptures to them.

The disciples recognised the Lord while working, while fishing. They recognised him in their fears and anxieties when the boat was about to capsize. They recognised him as a gardener, as a lowly. Thomas recognised him from his wounds. But Peter recognised him right away as Christ. This is because Peter saw the miracles Jesus did.

May be we can recognise the Lord in our day t day life. Is that not what we are supposed to do? -to recognise and seek him everyday.

Recognition is a relationship between the revealer and the one to whom it is being revealed. We can only recognise a person whom we know, and knowing a person even without that person knows us in return, is a relationship; my relationship to that person. To recognise him as Lord is to be in relationship with him like Peter, one that may not be perfect.

But you know what? WHen we recognise the Lord, it entails persecution and suffering. When we truly recognise the Lord, there is mission to be done.