“A chip off the old block!”

Whenever a newborn arrives in a family, it doesn’t take long before the comparisons begin. “Timmy’s eyes match his mother’s eyes.”  Or, “Look! Little Emmy smiles just like Grandpop?”  We might even hear: “Doesn’t Lisa’s chin resemble Aunt Jenny’s.”  Everyone has an opinion when staring at a sleepy newborn baby.  What they are truly stating is: “This newborn child belongs to this family!  Simply look at him, isn’t it obvious this infant is a ‘chip off the old block’”

 In John’s Gospel Chapter 14, Jesus says in so many words, “I too am a chip off the old block.”  He told His disciples: “If you know me then you will also know my Father…” and “whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

 Jesus doesn’t mean his chin or his smile or even a hair color match with God his Father.  Jesus is merely reminding everyone, “If you look at what I do, we can know what the Father is doing.  And, “if we listen to what Jesus is saying we will hear exactly the same words God the Father is saying.”

 In all his interactions, Jesus is definitely “a chip off the old block.”  When he heals the sick, debates the Pharisees, bows down to wash the feet of his disciples or cooks a fish breakfast for his disciples, Jesus, the Word made flesh, speaks and acts identically like his Father.

 Jesus has taken away the hidden face of God and given God the image of a loving, merciful, and compassionate Father.  Jesus speaks words of truth when he says: “If you know me then you will also know my Father.” And: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”  And we now see plainly that Jesus and His Father are one.  Jesus is unquestionably “a chip off the old block!”

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Blessings, Fr. DeLillio