Twenty-first
Sunday of Ordinary Time (A) [Mt 16:13-20]
27.08.2023
Peter’s Confession of Faith in Jesus
1. Theme in brief
Personal commitment to Jesus
2. Focus Statement
Christian faith does not consist in only knowing
about Jesus, but knowing Jesus personally and living out that faith in the
Church founded on the authority given by Christ to Peter.
3. Explanation of the text
The question raised by Jesus to his disciples at Caesarea Philippi, according to today’s gospel, about his true identity marks a turning point in his life. From this point onwards he begins to correct their wrong understanding of his messiahship. He begins to instruct them about his destiny to suffer and to die (16:21). First he asks them about popular and public opinion about his identity by referring to himself as “the Son of Man” – a title that has a messianic connotation in Jewish mindset (16:13). The disciples reply that the public opinion about him is divided, but one thing is common: he is no ordinary person. Some say that he is John the Baptist risen from the dead; others say he is prophet Elijah who (according to popular belief) is supposed to return before the Messiah comes; and some others Jeremiah who like Jesus was also rejected by his people (16:14). Next he asks them a specific and personal question: What do ‘you’ and not others, say about me (16:15)? In other words, he asks them to take a personal stand about him or give their personal opinion about him irrespective of what others may say. Thus the first question is about public opinion on him and the second is about their personal opinion.
Peter becomes the
spokesperson for all the Twelve and pronounces his confession of faith on their behalf:
“You are the
Messiah (means in Hebrew Christ or the Anointed One), the Son of
the living God” (16:16). Simon Peter’s confession implies that for
him Jesus is more than a prophet. For him he is not only Messiah but also a divine person
(Son of God). Of course, later on we will come to know that his notion of Jesus’
messiahship is not yet fully perfect. He still has the notion of a king endowed
with divine powers who will deliver
In spite of his Simon’s wrong understanding, Jesus declares Simon blessed; because what he has confessed has come to him from a divine revelation, and not from any “flesh and blood” (that is, human wisdom or mortal power, 16:17). It is not the result of his merit or human effort but is a pure gift from God. He grants this gift to whomever he wants. Due to this, Jesus gives him three special privileges: (1) to be a rock of firm support for the community of believers; (2) to hold the keys of the Kingdom of heaven – symbolizing his power to bind and to loosen, that is, to work for the reconciliation of people among themselves and with God; and (3) to be the foundation on which the Church – the community that seeks to live the message of the Kingdom – will be built (16:18-19).
The change of name from Simon to “Rock” or Peter indicates his new role as the leader of the new community (the Church). Jesus promises that powers of death and the underworld or hell (“the gates of Hades”) opposed to God will not be able to destroy the Church fully (16:18). He also promises that God himself will bind and loose what Peter binds and looses – which may imply a special authority given to him in matters of church discipline, decision-making, forbidding or allowing something, forgiving or not forgiving sins, etc.
4. Application to life
Most of us are Christians today because we were born of Christian parents who brought us up in their faith. It was their choice, rather than ours. But the question is: today, why do we want to be Christians? Jesus asks each one of us, “Why are you following me? Who am I for you personally?” If Jesus were to ask this question to you, what would be your answer? Here catechism or theological answer will not do. Today’s gospel text challenges us to examine whether as adults now we are Christians purely because of our parents or birth in a Christian family, because of our personal conviction and resolve to commit ourselves to the cause of Christ. The question is not what our parents taught us, what preachers preach to us, what catechism teachers teach us, what theology tells us about Jesus Christ, but what I personally say about him. Can each one of us say that today I am a Christian not only because of my parents, but because of my personal conviction that Jesus is my only Lord and Saviour? Can I say that Christ’s message as well as example of love, peace and compassion, liberation from sin or evil and change to a new way of life (here and hereafter), has touched and influenced me in such a way that I cannot but say: “To whom shall I go? Lord, in you alone are words that sustain love and divine life” (cf. Jn 6:68-69).
Today’s text motivates us to not to be satisfied by going through all the religious observances just to follow the crowd or because others are doing it, but to make a personal commitment or decision to live Christ’s values. Jesus asks each one of us: “Why have you chosen to follow me?” Just repeating Peter’s answer is not enough. Christ is not only a historical figure, a hero of the Bible, a Person who is present in the place of worship, but also he is alive. We are called to show to the world that Christ not only existed in history, but also he can be encountered today with faith in all the ups and downs of life. The question we need to ask is: Do Christ and his values make an impact on our lives? Everyday we need to make a personal decision to live by his values and meet him through our active concern for the needy, compassion for those who suffer, forgiving the offenders without conditions, etc.
Today’s gospel invites each one of us has to make a personal discovery of Jesus. Christian faith is a personal decision to commit ourselves to Christ. To each one of us Jesus asks: “You, and what do ‘you’ say about me?” Christian faith doesn’t consist only in knowing about Jesus, i.e. only about his life and teachings. One may know all his teachings or words by heart for the sake of knowledge or to get best marks in a Bible test, or one may admire him as an extraordinary personality, but need not be committed to him or his cause at all. Christian faith consists in knowing Jesus personally. From John’s gospel we come to know that Jesus had asked Pilate during his trial whether it was his personal opinion that he (Jesus) was the King of the Jews or he was saying it because others had told him so (Jn18:34). Similarly he asks us today: “You call me Lord and Saviour because your parents/ teachers/ catechists/ religious preachers have told you so, or out of your own personal conviction?” Jesus seems to say: “Forget about your parents and other spiritual guides, now who am I for you personally?”
How do we grow into the
personal
‘knowledge’ (or experience) of Jesus? We grow (1) by developing a
personal and deeper intimacy with him through prayer and
meditation on his Word; (2) by taking a personal stand for his values and resisting
worldly values; and (3) by trying to imitate his spirit of selfless love, service
and compassion, especially towards the needy, the suffering and the
marginalized. Hence, confessing our faith in Christ, as Simon Peter did, also
involves a decision to follow the course of life which Jesus lived: an active
concern and compassion for the poor and the downtrodden and taking up our
crosses of suffering for the welfare of others. Our confession of faith should
reflect in our life and actions. We have
to make a decision either for Christ or against him everyday in
life-situations. In our day-to-day life sometimes we decide against him by not
only committing
sins but also by omitting to do the good he has commanded us to do, or by
keeping silence when his values are violated.
When people of other faiths ask me why I am a Christian, after showing due respect to their religious faith, I give mainly two reasons for my personal choice to follow Christ: (1) I am attracted to the image of God as taught by him. Christ has told us that God forgives sinners without any condition (such as, if you behave well, I will love you) and limit. He loves a sinner even while he/she is sinning. God goes in search of a sinner and forgives him/her without giving any punishment. He is a God, who gives everything freely and asks nothing for himself, not even a sacrifice. This image of God is very appealing to me.
(2) I choose to follow Jesus and love to be his disciple because of his identification with my struggles, doubts, rejection and suffering. I believe that following him gives meaning to the mysteries of my life. When I think about the struggles and problems of my own life, I find a reflection of those things in his life. Though he was innocent, he was crucified like a criminal. He didn’t want to suffer like any other human beings, but he willingly took upon himself all our sorrows and painful death. He too felt as I feel that even God had abandoned (forsaken) him when he suffered alone the agony of the cross, rejected by all. When I am rejected by others, when I suffer unjustly, when my prayers are not answered and when I feel the absence of God, I can cry out with Jesus, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me (Mt 27:46)?”
Besides, today’s text has another lesson. It invites us to live out our faith within the the Church which is built on the foundation (rock) of Peter’s confession of faith and the authority given to him. We need to firmly believe that the powers of death and destruction cannot prevail over the Church, as Jesus assured to Peter. When we observe divisions and scandals in the Church, it is natural for us to doubt whether the Church is holy at all. Besides internal turmoil, there are external forces that are bent on destroying the Church. In spite of internal upheavals due to human limitations/ failures and external opposition by satanic forces, Jesus has assured us that his Church will stand firm. Whenever we are shaken by the scandals and shocking events in the Church we must remember the assurance given by Jesus that human failures and limitations cannot totally destroy his vision for the world or the mission he entrusted to the Church. After all, the light of faith has come to us not only through saints but also through many missionaries and evangelizers who had their own human weaknesses throughout the history of the Church.
5. Response to God's Word
Today, why are we Christians? Is it purely because of our
parents, or birth in a Christian family, or out of our own personal conviction?
Do we take a personal stand in favour of Christ’s values when confronted with
worldly values? Does our confession of faith in Christ reflect in our life and
actions? In our day-to-day life when do we fail to decide for Christ or his
values? Or what are the ways in which we go against him? How often do we go
against him by omitting to do the good he has commanded us to do? Do we dilute
our faith or Christian commitment because of scandals in the Church?
6. A prayer.
Jesus, I accept you as the only Lord and Saviour of my life. I once again make a personal commitment to live by your values. Give me the courage to stand firmly for your standards when they are negated by the world. May your Church be a sacrament of your love and be faithful to your mission in spite of her human frailties. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment