Who do you say I am?

In this weekend’s Gospel Jesus asks Peter a very simple but profound question. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Jesus had already heard what people in general thought of him. Some thought John the Baptist others a prophet. But now he asks Peter who he thinks he is. Peter doesn’t dodge the question but gives a clear and unequivocal answer ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ In response Jesus tells Peter that he will be the rock on which His Church will be built.

What would we answer if asked this question? If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then our faith cannot simply be something we acknowledge on Sundays. It should shape the way we live, the choices we make, and the way we treat others. Living our faith can be challenging and the allowing it to influence our lives can lead to difficult choices.

Peter’s own life also reminds us that faith is not always easy. At this moment Peter confidently proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, yet later when Jesus is arrested and Peter fears for his own future, he denies knowing Him. Peter’s life story reminds us that faith can be tested, and that even when we falter, God continues to call us back.

We can read this Gospel from a distance, as a story from long ago or we can allow it to become a personal challenge. Who do we say Jesus is? Is the Gospel a historical writing to be read that doesn’t really touch my life or is it an invitation to explore exactly who and what Jesus is. If Jesus is truly the Son of God, then he must have a place at the centre of our lives. And that should be clear to see in the way we love, forgive, serve and care for those around us.

Jane Kelly

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