THE RIGHT SOLUTION TO THE WRONG PROBLEM

Have you ever been given the right key but mistakenly used it for the wrong door knob?  Even if you manage to put the key inside, no matter how you twist it, the door will remain locked and closed.This experience is very common especially if your door has several locks.

The same experience likewise applies even in our life. Often than not, we already have solution to the problems that we have yet to encounter. Our common mistake however, is when we apply the right solution to the wrong problem.

God is not the (direct) solution to all our problems. It may sound disturbing, especially for people like me who grew up throwing all my problems to God. But my basis in saying so, is grounded on my realization that most of us share a distorted vision of what our Lord Jesus Christ.


Our vision of Jesus is distorted when we see God as our personal trouble shooter or see him to be like a genie in the bottle who would grant us our wish. As a matter of fact, it is for this reason that most of our prayers remain unanswered.  You cannot expect Jesus to hand you the money you need to pay off your mortgage, nor can you expect him to give you the medicine to cure your sickness. We should stop expecting Jesus to show us the number combinations for the lottery.


Miracles still happen, but If we do not work hard for what we want to achieve, we cannot expect God to do everything for us.  We should still work as if everything depends on us, and pray as if everything depends on God.

Sometimes our frustrations get the best of us that we begin to doubt if Jesus is the  Messiah, or "shall we look for another?"  


Frustrations are perfectly normal and even healthy. But our doubts should only  bring us to the realization to the absolute truth that Jesus is our savior. Doubts should lead us to strengthen our relationship with Jesus even when all the odds are against us.


In the Sunday Gospel, we hear about "the" John the Baptist, who likewise became frustrated because of his distorted vision of Jesus Christ as a political messiah.  It must have been very frustrating for him to remain imprisoned. He is the cousin of Jesus, and a great prophet with several disciples. He devoted his entire life in preparing the way for the Lord and is even mistaken to be the messiah. But despite these, he is imprisoned by King Herod and Jesus doesn't  do anything about it. 


I am sure Jesus likewise felt bad about the incarceration of John, and Jesus might have even thought of getting him out.


Jesus did not rescue John the Baptist from his prison cell, not because that he could not do it, but because it was not what Jesus came for.  Instead Jesus corrects the distorted vision of John the Baptist by telling John's disciples to relay to him what they saw and heard. Jesus assures John that his efforts are not put to waste because he is the Messiah. Through him the blind can see, the lame can walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf can hear, the dead are raised and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.


Today, Jesus is also telling us the same thing. Jesus cannot live our lives for us, because that is not the reason why he came. This is aside from the fact that if Jesus would live our lives for us, then there will be no point in giving us free will in the first place.


But Jesus assures us that he is our savior.  Jesus may not directly give us the money we need to pay our debts, but he gives us light to see what we need to do or whom to ask for help when everything seems to be dark; He  may not be present to cure the lame and make him walk, but he has made several persons stand up and  go out of their way to help others.

Jesus may not be physically present to cleanse lepers, but he has brought back several persons who were once outcasts back into society and in their respective communities. He may not be physically present to make the deaf hear, but he has made several persons to hear the Gospel not only with their ears but with their hearts.

In this season of Advent, while we prepare ourselves to welcome Christ, let us remove our distorted vision of Jesus Christ and  prepare to accept him as he truly is- Our Savior. Like the right key, we should learn to  put him in the proper place which is in our hearts.

Matthew 11:2-11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ,
he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question,
“Are you the one who is to come,
or should we look for another?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

As they were going off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,
“What did you go out to the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine clothing?
Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”