Written by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
Stephen Hawking, the world renowned physicist and inspiration for the film The Theory of Everything, died last week at 76. He shaped the modern study of the universe with his study of black holes and relativity.
In 1963, shortly before his 21st birthday, Hawking was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, and doctors gave him just two years to live. However, despite his diagnosis, he defied impossible odds and broke astounding new ground in medicine and science and is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Albert Einstein. When asked once about who he was and the purpose of his life, he answered: “My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.”
In our gospel today, the Pharisees ask Jesus the same question: “Who are you?” An anonymous writer, when pondering that question about Jesus, gave some answers that even Stephen Hawking would have to admire:
- IN CHEMISTRY, Jesus TURNED WATER TO WINE.
- IN BIOLOGY, HE WAS BORN WITHOUT THE NORMAL CONCEPTION;
- IN PHYSICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF GRAVITY WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN;
- IN ECONOMICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURN BY FEEDING 5000 WITH TWO FISHES & 5 LOAVES OF BREAD;
- IN MEDICINE, HE CURED THE SICK AND THE BLIND WITHOUT ADMINISTERING A SINGLE DOSE OF DRUGS
- IN HISTORY, HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END;
- IN GOVERNMENT, HE SAID THAT HE SHALL BE CALLED PRINCE OF PEACE
- IN RELIGION, HE SAID NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM
When Jesus answered the Pharisees, he said: “When you lift up the Son of Man, you will come to realize that I AM.” That was his answer: “I AM”. “I AM” is God’s name. “I AM” was the answer God gave to Moses when Moses asked who was authorizing him to lead the Israelites out of bondage and into freedom.
The Jewish people of Jesus’ day would have remembered that story and recognized the phrase “I AM”. Jesus was trying to tell the leaders that he too came from God and will also free the people. The leaders didn’t believe.
He tells us often in Scripture:
- I AM ‘The bread of life’ who nourishes you
- I AM ‘The light of the world’ who shows you the way
- I AM ‘The Good Shepherd’ who protects you,
- And I AM ‘the resurrection and the life’ who saves you.
That question to Jesus “Who are you?” is one we all can reflect on personally and as a community. With Holy Week shortly upon us, we are presented with more opportunities to deepen our intimate relationship with Jesus. He is in our hearts, in our world, and in the people we encounter daily.
Unlike the leaders of Jesus’ day, do we recognize Jesus in our midst and strive to grow in our belief of him and what he did for us?
“Who are you, Jesus?”
