By Fr. Roy Cimagala
IF Christ is the pattern of our humanity, if we truly are meant to be “alter Christus” (another Christ), then we can also conclude that we are meant to also share the very powers of Christ.
This thought can come to our mind when we consider that gospel episode where the people were amazed when at Christ’s word, a devil that possessed a man was rebuked and thrown out. (cfr. Lk 4,31-37) “What word is this, for with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they go out?” the crowd said.
Yes, we can share the supernatural powers of Christ if we would just allow ourselves to be truly identified with him. This possibility should not be far-fetched. Christ himself assured us of this possibility when he said:
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (M5 17,20-21)
Indeed, through the years, we have seen some men and women who have shown some extraordinary powers because of their faith-driven identification with Christ. We can start to cite St. Peter himself who managed to raise Tabitha from the dead in Lydda. (cfr. Act 9,36-43)
We should at least be open to this possibility though it may not be advisable for us to insist on it, since it can show a trace of pride and arrogance on our part. God can share his special powers with us if he wants to and if we are open to it also.
Let’s remember that gospel episode where Christ, after choosing his apostles in some random way, gave them tremendous powers. “Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (Lk 9,1)
We have to be most aware of what we can have in our hands. We may feel unworthy of all this, as we should, but the undeniable truth is that Christ can share his powers with us. Let us do our part in corresponding to this stupendous truth of our faith.
And the only way to do that is to give our all to God. Let us be generous and magnanimous as God is overwhelmingly generous and magnanimous to all of us. There has to be that mutual dynamic of love and self-giving that has been initiated by God himself. God loves us first, and we have to learn to love him in return, a love that is also expressed in loving everybody just as God loves everybody irrespective of how they are!
This is a call to generosity. “Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give,” Christ told his disciples. (Mt 10,8) Christ himself embodied this principle when he, being God became man, and not contented with that, he went to the extent of offering his life to conquer all our sins. He finally gave himself to us in the sacraments, especially in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which is a real madness of love.
Everyday, let us grow in our identification with Christ. Let’s hope that slowly but steadily we can feel the conviction that we are becoming “other Christ” (alter Christus), if not “Christ himself” (ipse Christus). This will open the way for us to share Christ’s special powers.
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
