"...make straight the way of the Lord.”

What does “Messiah” mean? Messiah is from the Hebrew word for “Anointed One.” “The equivalent word in Greek is Christos. In the Old Testament it was sometimes applied in a general sense to prophets or priests (Exodus 30:30), but more specifically it referred to the coming of one, who would usher in a period of righteousness and conquer sin and evil (Daniel 9:26). In the New Testament the Evangelists made it clear that they knew Jesus was the long-anticipated Messiah (Acts 2:36; Matthew 16:17; Galatians 3:24-29).” [1] The word “Christ” comes from this term of “Messiah.” As we read the first reading at Mass, we see that Isaiah is also “anointed”. There were other kings, priests, prophets and most famously King David, who were anointed. However, there was going to be one anointed above all others, with a kingdom that will reign forever.
 
Who was the Messiah? Jesus was the promised Messiah. Jesus is the "Anointed One". The word Jesus means “God saves”. The word Christ means, “anointed”. The Holy Name of Jesus, alone, tells us everything. Who is He? God. What has He come to do? Save. He is the Anointed One, the Promised One, Emmanuel, God with us.
 
Why didn’t everyone believe that Jesus was the Messiah? “Those who refused to accept Jesus interpreted the promised kingdom to be a worldly domain and looked forward to a Messiah who would be a military leader to help Israel triumph over her enemies.” [2]
 
How do we know that Jesus is the Messiah? The coming of the Messiah was greatly anticipated. The first words spoken of this promised Messiah were from God in the Book of Genesis. Right after the fall of man, God gives man a promise and calls man to restoration. “God calls him and in a mysterious way heralds the coming victory over evil and his restoration from his fall. This promise made by God is known as the “Protoevangelium” (“first gospel”): the first announcement of the Messiah and Redeemer, of a battle between the serpent and the Woman, and of the final victory of a descendant of hers.” [3] This continued through the Prophets, starting in Isaiah and up to John the Baptist. One of the most important readings regarding the coming Messiah is the “servant songs” [4] where we read that the Messiah is not going to be a powerful ruler, but one who will suffer and die by pouring out the spirit to all, and taking our death upon himself. [5]
 
We read of the shepherds being called by the angel announcing the birth of Jesus as the Messiah: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”(Lk 2:11) Jesus’ consecration as the Messiah was revealed on earth at His Baptism. “‘God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power,’ ‘that he might be revealed to Israel’ (Acts 10:38; Jn 1:31) as its Messiah. His works and words will manifest him as ‘the Holy One of God.’(Mk 1:24; Jn 6:69; Acts 3:14) [6] Finally, after His Baptism and forty days in the desert, Jesus went back to Nazareth. In the synagogue, Jesus reads the first two verses we hear in the first reading this Sunday, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” [7]
 
As mentioned earlier, those who were anointed in the Old Testament were priests, prophets and kings. Therefore, in the coming Messiah, all three had to be present.. “It was necessary that the Messiah be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord at once as king and priest, and also as prophet. Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel in his three-fold office of priest, prophet, and king. [8]

Search: Jesus: Priest, Prophet, King

ACTIVITY – What are the odds?
One out of every...
563 catch a foul ball
685,000 drown in bathtub
880,000 date a supermodel
2 million win the lottery
6 million die in shark attack
10 million become president of the United States

A good game is to make two cards for each statement above. For example, on one card write “563” and on the other card write “Catch a foul ball”. In the end there will be twelve (12) cards or six (6) pairs. Mix/shuffle the number cards and mix/shuffle the statement cards, keeping each category of cards separate. Tape or stick the number cards on a wall or board (on one side), then pull the statement cards out one by one and ask the group or a person to try to match the statement card to the respective number card. This could also be done in teams, seeing which team is able to match the largest number correctly.
 
Point - The odds that one person would fulfill all the prophecies of the Old Testament would be like winning the lottery 22 times in a row.
 
Listed below are some of the prophecies, yet Jesus fulfilled these and all the other prophecies:
 
Preach in parables
Work miracles
Rejected by brethren
Ministry in Galilee
Entry into Jerusalem
Will live in poverty
Called Immanuel
Born in Bethlehem
Persons will come to adore
Slaying of children
Out of Egypt
Proceeded by a herald
Anointed by the Spirit
Born of a virgin
Jew & Gentile rise against him
Betrayed by a friend
Sold for 30 pieces of silver
Silence under suffering
Hit on cheek, scourged
Hands and feet pierced
Vinegar and gall offered
Cast lots for garments
Numbered among thieves
Forgave his murders
Death and resurrection
No broken bones
Conversion of Gentiles
Universal dominion
 
There is no question that Jesus is who He says He is. He is the Messiah and fulfills all the prophecies.
 
He is anointed with what? Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit. “Jesus is God’s Anointed in a unique way: the humanity the Son assumed was entirely anointed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit established him as ‘Christ’ (Cf. Lk. 4:18-19; Isa 61:1)” [9] The Holy Spirit was with Jesus and was what gave Jesus power over all on earth. In union with God the Father and through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was given to all of us. We are anointed and brought into the flock of Jesus’ Messianic Kingdom when we receive the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.
 
Does Jesus as the Messiah have a kingdom? Yes. We pray during the Nicene Creed, “He is seated at the right hand of the Father”. This action signifies his Messianic kingdom. “Being seated at the Father’s right hand signifies the inauguration of the Messiah’s kingdom, the fulfillment of the prophet Daniel’s vision concerning the Son of man: ‘To him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.’(Dan. 7:14) After this event the apostles became witnesses of the ‘kingdom [that] will have no end.’(Nicene Creed)” [10]

[1] Fr. John Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary pg. 348-349
[2] Fr. John Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary pg. 349
[3] CCC 410
[4] Is. 42:1-9
[5] cf. CCC 713
[6] CCC 438
[7] Luke 4:18-19
[8] CCC 436
[9] CCC 695
[10] CCC 664