"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us." (1 John 1:1,2)

The apostles saw him. But not all saw him in these terms. The majority of his contemporaries did not recognize his divine identity. Only a small band of disciples came to see and testify and proclaim this invasion of the divine and eternal into this world of humanity and mortality. St. John did not deny this: "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him." (John 1:10,11)

Why was this so? Why did some recognize his identity and others did not? Why do some not do so today? How do you see Jesus? Why is Jesus not seen to be "the Word made flesh" by all people?

The Great One, the Creator of all, came into our human world on a mission. In order to fulfill that mission he had to come undercover. He was God Incognito. He did not want to have to force others to acknowledge his authority by a display of overwhelming power. He came, not as a conquering hero, or as a famous celebrity, untouched by pain, but as a common man who entered into the suffering of humanity. He was only recognizable by those who were seeking for solace, who were in touch with their own need, and were willing to receive what he came to bring. They saw his glory in his compassionate actions, his acts of mercy, his authenticity, his courage, his authoritative teaching, his discernment, his forgiving grace. They were people who were open to the Spirit, who were seeking for knowledge of the kingdom of heaven, who were aware of their own ignorance and personal need.

Why did others not recognize him then, and now? They were looking for something else: overwhelming validation, perhaps spectacular signs and displays of power. They had their own criteria of what they considered acceptable and reasonable. Perhaps they weren't looking for anything - they were too myopic, they couldn't see the wood for the trees, so concentrated were they on other things. They did not recognize the authority of a simple carpenter, an uneducated country boy, to correct their vision. Contemporaries then and today were cynical about claims to speak the truth, when they only saw problems, suffering and widespread hypocrisy. Many are indifferent.

Two groups of people: One group that saw the glory of the God-Man through his human disguise, who recognized his origin - "who came from the Father" - and who hungered and thirsted for his divine grace and truth - "from the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." The blessings of salvation, forgiveness, healing, wholeness, hope.

The other group who saw nothing, only a troublemaker, an embarrassment, who didn't fit into their world, who rocked the boat. They did not welcome him or invite him into their circle, even though he was truly one of them - "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him." He made them feel uncomfortable. He disturbed them with his expectations. They wanted to be left alone in a world without God.

But you can't keep the Word made flesh out. Jesus keeps coming to make his dwelling among us. He keeps coming to bring his kingdom into our midst. He keeps coming to share his grace and his truth. He keeps coming in disguise to woo us to himself, to woo us away from the kingdom that perishes, to the kingdom that endures to eternal life.

The story is told of the king who falls in love with a peasant girl. He longs to woo her and marry her and make her his queen. But he knows that if he revealed himself to her in all his kingly splendor she would be overwhelmed and influenced to marry him for all the wrong reasons. He could never be sure that she married him out of love for himself, or out of love for the position she would occupy as his spouse. To elevate her in that manner would cause all sorts of complications in their relationship.

The only way he could be sure of her genuine love for him as a man would be for him to woo her as a peasant, by appearing in her community as one of her crowd, by living as she lived. If she grew to love him for himself without the expectation of all that royalty brings he could be sure of the genuineness of her love.

So the Word became flesh and dwelt among us so that we might see and believe him as the One and Only way, the truth, and the life. He came among us disguised. "Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross." (Phil.2:6-8) He came to suffer with us in order to bring us to joy.

What do you see? How do you see Jesus? What is your response?

END