When He entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” If we knew and really understood who Jesus is, truly we would shake inside. Those who came to know Jesus through His prayer life and through His healing ministry became afraid when they encountered the holy and divine in His presence and in His presence their own weakness, sinfulness, and insecurity. In His presence, we experience both our own smallness and need of salvation. How often Jesus encouraged and said to His disciples not to be afraid of Him. To not doubt or disbelieve but rather to be confident and trust He was the Son of God and the Son of Man who was coming into the world to heal the broken hearted, to reconcile poor sinners to the Father and to one another and renew our loving relationship with God as His beloved children and his beloved creation. Do you know who this is? Do you know, truly know the One who created you in beauty, redeemed you in love, restored you to innocence, sanctified you in grace, saved you from death and welcomes you to eternal life? Do you know the One whose words have the power to heal, the mercy to forgive, the strength to move mountains, the spirit to lift up, the grace to renew to help you to start all over again? Do you know Jesus, really know Jesus who taught us how to pray and said, “Let there be light,” “Love one another as I have loved you,” “Behold, your mother,” “I thirst,” “You will be with me in Paradise,” “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Do you know the One who prayed to the Father for you, who intercedes to the Father for you, who asks that you will be one with Him as He and the Father are one? Do you know the One who asked the disciples to look deep within themselves and consider the truth about who He is when He asked them directly, “Who do you say that I am?” How do you respond to questions about His divinity or His identity when asked who do you say Jesus is? How will you respond to faith filled relatives, unbelieving strangers or fallen away friends you encounter on your own road or faith filled journey to Jerusalem, to Calvary or your own Emmaus? Perhaps we might need to rephrase the question to “who is this to you?” A valid response requires knowing Jesus personally and intimately through prayer.
