John Quigley
Jesus, model of Faith, Model of Full Humanity
           Because of the incontinuity of Sunday Gospel readings, minimal exposure to the Bible, and a lack of religious education outside of grade school, people seem to forget the teaching that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine. Some stories about Jesus, such as the frequently heard, Transifuration story, accent Jesus' divinity and downplay the human aspect of Jesus. A lot of people are pushed away from Jesus because of their fear of him, as a God, not as a man.
            Jesus was, in fact, fully human and fully divine, its just that his humanity is heard about much less frequently. Jesus was a common man during his time. He was the son of a carpenter, almost completely opposite the temple officials in their mansions preaching purity. Even though he was of the Jewish faith, he avoided being with rich authority altogether, choosing the company of prostitutes, tax collectors, and those who were impure instead, like the woman at the well. These people who were his friends were not perfect or morally right by any means, they were sinners, and Jesus enjoyed their company, eventually becoming friends with him.
           Jesus was not immune to temptation either, he was actually more suscpetible to it than others because of his dual nature. The devil tempted Jesus at his weakest in the desert, when he was deprived of his humanly needs, food, water, and shelter. He gave into his anger in teh Temple where the money changers and merchants had gathered, selling their wares. Jesus did not breeze through his life without struggle, he faced personal conflicts, fear and even doubt in his Father right before he died on the cross when he said "My God, My God, whay have you forsaken me?"(Matthew 27:46). If he were completely divine, he would not have experienced doubt, fear, or pain as he did during the scourging at the pillar and the crucifixion.
          In his death, a mortal death filled with pain and fear, Jesus made one last plea to the world to recognize his humanity. This less known side of Jesus is the side more appealing to us. It is comfprting to know that our savior was one of us, not a superior metaphysical being, but a human, just like everybody else.
           
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