Who Do You Say That I Am?

We hear in our Gospel reading today – Jesus ask His disciples two simple questions: first – “Who do the people say that I am?” and then second – “But who do you say that I am?”

Stepping back – just for a moment – from these two questions and from what the disciples said in response to them – we find Jesus.

Jesus knew that His time on earth and consequently His time with His disciples was running out – you see right after this episode presented to us in our Gospel today, Jesus reveals to His disciples for the first time His coming Passion – He tells them that He must go to Jerusalem and there He would suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and that He would be killed …

Jesus knew that His time was running out and He probably wondered what impact if any His ministry was having on the people – that is why He asked the first question- He wanted to know what the people thought – but perhaps more importantly Jesus probably wondered what impact He was having on His disciples … He must have wondered what would happen once He was gone – and that is why He asked the second question to His disciples – to find out where they where – to see if they would be able and willing to carry on His ministry.

So Jesus asks His apostles – “Who do the people say that I am?” And we heard their reply – they said – “some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets”

Notice – my brothers and sisters – that all of the disciples quickly responded to this question – that there wasn’t any hesitation on their part – that it is easy for them to say what they had heard others say about who they believed Jesus to be … it was easy because they were just passing on information – they were just sharing what they had heard … it was testimony on their part that didn’t require any personal commitment … the first question was easy for them to answer …

Notice also – who it was the people thought Jesus to be – some believed that he was John the Baptist who had come back from the dead (for John was revered by many people), some thought that He was Elijah the greatest of all the prophets, or Jeremiah who was believed to be the forerunner of the Messiah, and others believed that He was just one of the prophets – and even though their responses did not agree with each other as far as who it was they believed Him to be …

what their responses revealed to Jesus and to us is that the people then knew that this Jesus was no ordinary man – they knew that He was someone special … and this undoubtedly made Jesus happy … probably it provided Him some satisfaction … but He wanted to know more … He wanted to know what His closest companions, His chosen followers thought – so He asked them the second question “but who do you think that I am?”

I can only imagine how quiet it must have got … I can only imagine that at that moment the entire world stopped to listen for their reply … and that … Simon Peter’s response “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” rang forth from the very depth of his being … from his soul and that he realized first in his heart this reality that Jesus was the Son of God before his mind could comprehend what that meant – but he knew this to be true.

I think Simon Peter’s response shocked him as much as it did the others – and I believe all creation sang with joy at that moment – Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God! And then Jesus says those most beautiful words: Blessed are you, Simon son of Johan. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And as if that isn’t enough Jesus goes on to say: “and so I say to you, you are Peter (Petros – which in Greek means rock), and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

But that’s not all – there’s still more wonderful news: “I will give you – Jesus said to Peter - the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Had Simon Peter had any real sense at that moment he would have exclaimed as the Virgin Mary did – my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord – My spirit rejoices in God my savior – for He has done great things for me … Simon Peter’s testimony that day – his affirmation with the words “you are the Christ the Son of the living God” declared his conversion – the change of heart that Jesus was looking for in him and in the rest of His apostles and in each of us … a change of heart that allows God to work in us and through us … a change of heart that assured Jesus that all of His efforts were not in vain …

The good news my brothers and sisters – revealed by Jesus to the world that day is this: although His time on earth was short – although He would soon leave this world – His presence would continue to the end of times in His new Body the Church – Jesus would be the Head of this Church, Peter would represent His authority and to him Jesus gave the keys of Kingdom – to him was given the power to guide the rest of the apostles, to elect new apostles and priests, to dispense the sacraments of salvation, to forgive sins, to change bread and wine into His flesh and blood, to organize the militant Church that would bear testimony to Christ’s Living Presence amongst us and to guide the Church in accordance with His will.

Peter was the first pope of the Church – and the Church is still very much alive today – and when you look at the Holy Father, you are looking at Peter. And just as Jesus is the way, the truth and the Life so also is His Church the way, the truth and the life.

We the Church – the Body of Christ today – have become His mouth, His hands and feet and each of us are called to carry Him into the world.

My friends, Christ is asking each of us today a simple question – who do you say I am? Our response must be that of St. Paul who confessed his faith and love for Christ when he said: it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.
My brothers and sister, if that indeed is our response then we must make sure that all that we do, all that we say, the friends we have, the clothes we wear, the music we listen too the television we watch, and what we do with our time, talent and treasure – do this actions reflect our response to this question – who do you say that I am?

Praise to our Lord Jesus Christ – now and forever!