Shame — Jesus is ashamed?

What it might mean?

Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mk 8, 38)

Caution not to waste the time: If you are looking for a clear cut answer, check elsewhere. No need of wasting your time in reading.

How to understand these lines of the Gospel passage above? A rare occasion in the Bible where Jesus speaks of shame. Who are ashamed of “me and my words”? It can be answered in many ways. A type of response (I don’t appreciate it at all) is that it points to all non-Catholics; a little more generous one is that they are all non-Christians. Another reading might say, all the non-disciples. Many other responses too…

Before asking the question “who are ashamed of”, a more primordial question is, who is me and what is my words? Me is surely Jesus, but the difficulty is that most of us have not seen Jesus, and we know him though Bible, catechism or through the life and actions of Christians and others. So definitely Jesus is not the same for all of us, because we all have seen him through different eyes.

Now coming to the second question, “his words”. The source of that is Bible, especially New testament, especially gospels etc. Gospels have many verses, and if I ask different Christians (or even scholars) to tell me a few verses to summarise the Bible, their opinions can be varied. So the question “me and my words” evokes responses that are quite varied. Yes, it is connected to Jesus and his words, but we understand it differently. Difference is not always an opposition, but just a genuine difference.

So that means, are we saying that each one of us understand Jesus differently (and so relativism) and so anything can go. I don’t say that; but I just want to say that a simple answer is not the right one too and not easy to produce too.

I quote one statement of St Augustine, before I reflect further;

“The church is a great and vast body, but not all who are in the body are in the heart, and not all who are in the heart are in the body.” (City of God, St Augustine)

To go further, I see some examples of verses, that people can say as a good summary of Bible.

I came to give life and life in its abundance (John 10, 10) — my favourite my choice

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3, 16)

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Mt 22:36–40)

Be perfect as your heavenly father is merciful. (Mt 5, 48); Be merciful as your heavenly father is (Lk 6, 36).

Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me (Mt 25, 45)

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Mt 28, 18–20)

The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mk 1, 15)

And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mk 1, 11)

Yes, I made a few choices; surely there are many more. I never doubt that they are not connected; they are; and that connection is the part of the authenticity of the life of Jesus. Now, all of us understand this connection differently; connection having different accents.

Just to give an example, people might say pro-life is only the work against abortion or the work for the refugees and migrants. I am not saying of people who support both (or even many other dimensions of prolife), but feel a certain calling to do more in one direction without denying the other.

Yes, I think I have confused you (or made you think a little). Encounters with people who think and see differently can be a great help in this process of growth and to see and appreciate Jesus and his words in a much more holistic way. We will never fully reach there, but it is good to continue walking.