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“But who do you say that I am?”
Some of us may hear this question as Jesus’ mid-gospel exam! We are roughly halfway through Matthew’s account of the gospel. So, it makes sense that Jesus might gather the disciples and say, “Ok let’s see what you’ve learned, if you really understand. Who am I?”
Most of us know the right answer. We’ve read Peter’s answer. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”. Today’s gospel is not, however, about giving the right answer. This is not a test. This is not about what is in our head but what is in our heart. It’s about what lies at the core of our existence. Jesus is asking the disciples to consider what centres their lives. Those things, for Jesus, are foundational to a life of discipleship.
That is exactly what Jesus is doing with his questions in today’s gospel.
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
“But you, who do you say that I am?”
In the first question Jesus is asking what the disciples hear and see around them. In the second question he wants to know what they see and hear within themselves. Jesus is always pushing us to go deeper, to look within and discover who or what our life is centred on, and then to re-centre.
“You are the Messiah, the Son of God, the living one”, Simon Peter answers. This is more than just an answer. With those words he has re-centred his life. Christ is the axis around which Peter will present his body “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.”
Whenever we re-centre our lives on Christ we become a new person.
Re-centring is our life’s work, and it is not easy work. It is something we do over and over, and we don’t always get it right. Look at Peter. He is the one of little faith sinking in the water. He argues with Jesus and ends up being called Satan. He falls asleep when he is supposed to be praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He denies knowing Jesus. Through it all he was being shaped, formed, moulded into the rock Jesus knew him to be. Ultimately Peter was crucified for re-centring, following, and loving Jesus.
“Who do you say that I am?” Don’t just answer his question. Go live the answer. Discover the “rockness” that Jesus knows you to be.
Love your neighbour as yourself.
Care for the poor, feed the hungry, and defend the oppressed.
Offer forgiveness despite your anger. Pray when you are too busy to pray.
Love your enemies despite your fear.
Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him.
Do these. Be the rock. Be the rock on which Jesus’ church stands before the world.
In the introduction to the confession at the beginning of Mass quote the Gospel reading and ask who is Jesus for me? Is he the one upon whose teaching I try to order my life?
Introducing the first reading explain that the Lord is telling Shebna who is the sort of major domo of the palace that he must give way to Eliakim to whom his authority will be given. This must be read in relation to what will be heard in the Gospel reading.
The reading from the Letter to the Romans praises God who is totally beyond our understanding and to whom we can only bow down in awe and worship.
The Gospel reading needs to be introduced simply as Jesus making Peter the rock on which the young community of his followers would be built and this because of Peter’s rock-like faith in Jesus who is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
In the Intercessions mention might be made of Pope Francis, that he may have the same rock-like faith as Peter to lead the Church in new and different ways.
In the silence after Communion, remind the people of Peter’s faith and invite them to renew their faith in the Lord who is in their midst and who feed s and nourishes them.
455 Christ the rock is our foundation (L)
829 O Christ, the great foundation (L)
830 The church's one foundation (L)
876 The hand, O God, has guided (L)
959 All my hope on God is founded (L)
962 Firmly I believe and truly (L)
Key
L = Laudate
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over-familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
