A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: Who am I for you?
The question Jesus asked the Apostles is the question he is still asking each one of us.
People have the most varied opinions about Jesus, because Jesus is talked about as much today as in his own time, and he causes the same emotional and sometimes violent reaction. There are people who are ready to use all means in order to fight him and wipe out his name from the face of the earth. Once we meet Jesus, we cannot remain indifferent anymore; we must choose sides. However, there were plenty of people who respected Jesus and appreciated his teaching, but were not ready to be his followers or become his disciples. That’s why Jesus asked this fundamental question: Who am I for you? What do you say about me?
To answer Jesus’ question we must have a personal knowledge of him, and more than that we must live in a personal relationship with him. It is not enough to give the answers we learnt in the catechism, when they are just memorised words without any impact in our lives.
Peter answered for all the other apostles, and his answer is the answer of the Christian community. Peter’s answer was a profession of faith and it is our profession of faith, a profession of faith that we find throughout the Gospels, from beginning to end. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. In the gospel of John, the same profession of faith was made by Martha: “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” (Jo 11:27). In a way, Martha added something to Peter’s proclamation: he is the Son of God who came into the world, to bring life and salvation.
To come to the acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God and as Saviour of the world, we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or as Jesus told Peter: You don’t know this on your own, and you didn’t find it by your studies and researches, be it philosophical or scientific. This knowledge and inner certitude comes from the Father revealing it to us.
This belief changes us from within, as Jesus becomes the centre of our lives. That’s why we must sing the praises of God's glory: “To him be glory forever”! (Ro 11:36).
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