Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, what a great joy it is to belong to God! In the presence of the Lord we are strengthened, in his presence we are refreshed, in his presence we are renewed, in his presence we are restored, in his presence we are enriched with all the blessings and graces we need for each day. God is powerful! God is wonderful! God is holy!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ: As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins, according to the riches of his grace, Which hath superabounded in us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Ephesians 1:3-4;7-8)

You and I were chosen by God, kept apart, separated, bestowed and blessed with every kind of spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ! We are not anything at all, we are not what the world wants us to be, we are not even what we think of ourselves with all our limitations. We are what God sees!

When God looks at you and me, he does not see sin, he does not see misery, he does not see weakness, he does not see our past, he does not see any evil that could be inside us; he does not know how to see defects, he does not look at what we do, he does not look at our external image (cf. 1Sm 16:7). He sees our hearts, and what is purest in us — that which we became through our baptism: children of God.

I want to start this chapter today with the words of the great apostle to the gentiles, Saint Paul:

“Whereof (the Church) I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given me towards you, that I may fulfill the word of God: The mystery which hath been hidden from ages and generations, but now is manifested to his saints, To whom God would make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ, in you the hope of glory. Whom we preach, admonishing every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (Colossians 1:25-28)

God wanted us to discover the richness and the glory of the mystery that was hidden during generations! What mystery is that? Christ in us! We have no idea of the depth and power of this word!

Today we are having a shorter reflection — in terms of length — and I want to bring you inside yourself to reflect a little, looking at your history and at your life today.

We said that God looks at us and sees our hearts, sees us as his children. Now, on our part, when we look at God, what do we see? Who is God for you? What difference does it make whether or not you are with him in your life? And to get straight into this post’s main question, let’s ask ourselves the question from this post: WHO IS JESUS ​​TO ME?

I have chosen some images of Jesus to help us see concretely what we are reflecting on. Pause at each one, and find out what it provokes in you (and what, if anything, it does not provoke) — and find out where it leads you. Enjoy it, and try to answer the question by the end of this chapter, if you can.


“Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

He is the one who calls us. He is the one who lightens our burdens. He is the one who offers us a soft yoke and a doctrine with a light weight. He is meek and humble in heart. He is the one who attracts us and calls us to his heart. He is the image of an invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation (as per Colossians 1:15). He is the word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us (as per John 1:14).

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep.” (John 10:11;14-15)

He is the good shepherd. He is the one who has the courage to expose and lay down his life for his sheep. He is the one who knows us, even though we don’t know each other well or don’t have much sense of who we really are. He is the one who cares, who looks after us, who protects and who watches over our lives. He is the one who gives us life, the real life. And gives us that life in abundance, in fullness (as per John 10:10).

“Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

He is the one who is ready to enlighten every human being who awakens to the life he offers (as per Ephesians 5:14). He is the one who illuminates all things and more than the sun, he shines every day with his grace, especially on those who walk through the valley of the shadow of death, living in a life of darkness, sin and loneliness. He is the true light that comes into the world that illuminates every man (as per John 1:9) and by his light he gives us the power to become children of God (as per John 1:12). He is the light, the heat and the fire that warms our hearts!

“Jesus answered, and said to her: Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again; but he that shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst for ever: But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting. You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know; for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:13-14;22-24)

He is the one who gives us the water of life that will flow into eternal life. It is from his heart that blood and water flow to wash away our sins, to purify us and to give us a new life. He is the one who quenches our thirst and makes this water, which is the Holy Spirit, flow from within those who believe in him (as per John 7:37). He is the giver of the Spirit, together with the Father. He is the one who teaches us the truth of God. He is the truth himself (as per John 8:32). He is the one who teaches us about God the Father properly because he is one with the Father (as per John 10:30). He is the one who teaches us how to worship God.

“I am the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he will take away: and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean by reason of the word, which I have spoken to you. I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1-3;5)

He is the vine, the tree of life, which gives and transmits life. At its roots we have access to the food that strengthens and edifies us in his grace. He is the source of life and the transmitter of life by the Holy Spirit. He is the head of the Church that makes us its members (as per Colossians 1:18). We are incorporated into this Church, which is its mystical body, through baptism (as per Catechism of the Catholic Church par. 1267).

“When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.” (John 8:7;10-11)
He is the one who defends us, protects us and is always on the side of those who are weak, poor and devoid in this world. He is the one who never condemns us, who always helps us, who always welcomes us and is always ready to reach out and lift us off the floor, regardless of what we have done or are planning to do. He is the one who will always be with his outstretched hands to us no matter how much people, things, situations and the life we ​​live could preach that we do not deserve it!


“And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.” (John 6:35;47;51;54-55)

He is the bread of life, the living bread descended from heaven, the food of our salvation. He is the one who guarantees us eternal life through his body and his blood, which are food for that eternal life; that we know is the Eucharist. He made himself an offering to the Father for us, becoming food, to be closer to us. He is the Sacrament of love that sustains his Church, holy and Catholic. He is the one who holds and transmits eternal life through the Eucharist, with the Eucharist and in the Eucharist.

“For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

He is the saviour of the world (as per John 4:42). He is the one who freely gave his life on the cross to save us from death and eternal damnation. He is the one who cleanses our sins with his blood (as per 1 John 1:7). He is the one who carried the weight of our sins, paid for our sins with his own life and enshrined in the cross every condemnation that the devil had against us, expelling the principalities and powers (the fallen angels) and triumphing over them by the cross (as per Colossians 2:13). He is the one who turned a curse into a blessing with his death on the cross - because it was considered cursed the one who died nailed to a tree (as per Galatians 3:13) – and he has power to take all evil in our lives transforming it into some kind of good. He is the redeemer of the human race. He is the one who was disfigured to make us the image of the Father. He is the one who heals us with his wounds and frees us from all punishment and imprisonment. He is the one who calls us to a life of freedom (as per Galatians 5:1).

“And as they were afraid, and bowed down their countenance towards the ground, they said unto them: Why seek you the living with the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke unto you, when he was in Galilee, Saying: The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” (Luke 24:5-7)

He is the one who died, went down into hell, made hell a terrible place to the devils by terrifying them with his presence. But death could not hold him, the stone of the tomb could not hold him; the power of God raised him up on the third day to say that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one and reign forever. He is the one who has the name over all names, to whom every knee bends in heaven, on earth and in hell (as per Philippians 2:9). He is the resurrection and the life. He is the one who ascended to heaven with his glorious and risen body, with the marks of his passion, with authority and power. He is the one who opened paradise for us. He is the one who sustains the world with the power of his mercy. He is the one who is preparing a home for us in the Father’s house in heaven and will return to judge and free us from this world of death and take us with him into eternity (as per John 14:2).

“And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us: Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God. For think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself; that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

He is the Son of God, God himself incarnate. He is the author and finisher of our faith, that means it is he who is the reason for faith, who gives us the gift of faith, who initiates us in the life of faith; he is the one who feeds our faith; and he is the consumer, the destiny and the one who gives strength to live the faith until the last consequences. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. ​​He is the Son of David. He is the Son of man. He is the King of kings. He is the Lord of lords. He is the God of gods. He is the Master of masters. He is Almighty, glorious, wonderful, faithful, eternal, unique, victorious, sovereign, majestic... There are not enough words to describe him. He is everything!

“Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today; and the same for ever. Be not led away with various and strange doctrines.” (Hebrews 13:8-9)

He is the truth that sets us free (as per John 8:32) and against this truth we have no power (as per 2 Corinthians 13:8). He is the one who never changes. He is the one who is always by our side, and even if we do not recognise him, he is always helping us in the most difficult moments. He is the most certain friend of uncertain times. He is my best friend! Jesus is the one who does not give up on us even when we give up on life. He believes in you and me. Did you already give up on following him? Do you really believe in him?

When he asked his disciples who he was for them, Peter was the one who stood up and declared, in a strong voice: “Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.”

If Jesus asked you today, “Who am I to you?” — what would you answer? Do not think — answer with your spontaneous prayer, at this very moment...


May God bless us and give us the grace to discover who Jesus is in our lives.