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The Gospel according to Luke (9:7-9)
Herod the Tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.
Reflection:
I am sure we have all heard the saying, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. When we want to be like someone else it can be because we admire them, a quality they have, how they appear, act, think, speak, etc. This is not necessarily a bad thing. If our reason for imitation is for some positive purpose, why not. However, sometimes we imitate each other’s bad habits or traits. This is where we develop a sense of who we are and how we want to be perceived. But more significant is how we want to impact the world. With all the influences around us we can still choose our own course.
In today’s gospel, Herod was confused because he thought Jesus might be a resurrected John. Why would he think they could be the same person? It was all based on what he had experienced with John and had heard about Jesus. One could say that Herod perceived Jesus as an imitation of John. The reality is that John, the one who was to prepare the way, was an imitator of Jesus, the one who was sent by God. But here is something to think about. Jesus and John’s affect or impact on Herod was so similar, he thought they might be the same person. The perfect Imitation.
As followers of Jesus, don’t we all want to be imitators of Our Lord? And as such would it not be music to our ears if we knew someone had confused us with Jesus?? Wow, talk about the best compliment ever. Yet, this is exactly what Christ is calling us to do, every day. Our impact on the world should be such that Jesus is in as many different places as we are. Imagine a world that imitated Jesus to such an extent that we could not tell each other apart because no one person is greater than the other and all are equally loved. May we choose to make heaven present on earth as we strive to replicate the sacrificial love of Jesus.
Action of the day:
As I meditated on today’s gospel and the idea of being imitators of Christ I remebered the book, The Imitation of Christ, written by Thomas Á Kempis. I have been curious about this book for some time. I am going to commit to reading what has been identified as a classic and must read for all Christians. I encourage you to get a copy and join me. Let’s see how we can become greater imitators of Christ Jesus Our Lord.
Audio Reflection:
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