Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
In today’s Gospel Jesus asks His disciples a deeply personal question, “Who do you say that I am?” This is a question Jesus poses in each of the synoptic Gospels, Mark 8:29, Luke 9:18 and Matthew 16:15. In each instance it is Peter that answers for the group, professing their belief, their faith, that Jesus is the Christ. I think it is important to remember that Peter and the other disciples came to their belief in Jesus through their relationship with Him.
They left their jobs and their families to follow a man who was proclaiming the Good News of God’s Kingdom. They witnessed His healing of the sick, and His casting out of demons, and they became certain that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. They believed this not because someone told them to or because it was what they were taught to believe. They believed it because of their personal interaction with Jesus.
They left their jobs and their families to follow a man who was proclaiming the Good News of God’s Kingdom. They witnessed His healing of the sick, and His casting out of demons, and they became certain that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. They believed this not because someone told them to or because it was what they were taught to believe. They believed it because of their personal interaction with Jesus.
We do not have the benefit of being able to know Jesus as the disciples did here on earth. We do have an advantage they did not, a rich history of community belief we call the Church, which can help guide us on our journey of faith. The journey itself however is not as different from that of the disciples as we may think. Our authentic faith comes from an equally authentic and unique relationship with Jesus. There is a saying, “you cannot be all things to all people.”
I would amend that to say you cannot be all things to all people, unless you are Jesus. Throughout my life of discipleship Jesus has been the wise teacher, the great comforter, the loyal friend, and the gentle judge who has called me to reconciliation and growth.
I would amend that to say you cannot be all things to all people, unless you are Jesus. Throughout my life of discipleship Jesus has been the wise teacher, the great comforter, the loyal friend, and the gentle judge who has called me to reconciliation and growth.
I invite you this week to consider your answer to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” I have no doubt there are as any answers as there are people with a relationship with our loving God, such is God’s omniscient abundance.
I wish you and your loved ones continued blessings of good health, new hope and great peace,
Fr. Paul
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