Reflection
In today’s Gospel, we hear the pivotal question that Jesus asks the Apostles and all of us, “Who do you say that I am?”
Jesus first asks the Apostles, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” He starts by looking for the public opinion. Of course, Jesus doesn’t really care about the opinion of others. He has been sent not to seek their opinion but to change their hearts and minds, knowing that the new Kingdom of God was radically different than what others wanted or expected. He is laying the groundwork for the next, most important question.
The question "Who do you say I am?" demands a personal response from every believer, not just a repeating of the intellectual opinions of the day. Jesus is not just probing our minds. He is searching our hearts. He knows that what lives in our hearts get expressed in our words and actions. We will never be effective disciples with just an intellectual understanding of Jesus and His mission.
Peter speaks up for the group and declares Jesus to be "The Christ of God". In Catholic tradition, this profound clarity is understood as a gift of divine grace rather than mere human cleverness. Peter sees past the miracles to recognize the anointed Savior. This response is a challenge to us. Do we fully understand and embrace Jesus as more than a miracle worker? Many prophets before Jesus performed great miracles in God’s name. Is Jesus just another prophet to us?
Jesus then commands the Apostles to tell no one and predicts His severe rejection, suffering, death, and resurrection on the third day. This is the ultimate test. If Jesus is the Messiah and he is telling them, and us, about his coming rejection, death and resurrection, can we truly believe and trust in Him? Can we believe that our Lord and God willingly suffered and died so that he could be raised from the dead? For us? This is difficult for us who have the benefit of historical hindsight, with all the evidence that everything happened just as Jesus predicted.
Yet, the Apostles, despite denials of Jesus when challenged, and their fears of persecution and an uncertain future, held onto a sliver of hope that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. With the power of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost, they proceeded to build the Church that remains the beacon of hope for the world today. Their actions revealed what was truly in their hearts concerning Jesus. The same will be true for us.
Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
Are you willing to join Jesus in taking up your cross in order to be raised on the last day?