Who do you say I am?

Today the Word of God leads us to meditate on the way we confess the Holy Name of the Second Person of the Trinity; that is, of Jesus Christ Our Lord.

The reading of the Gospel is centered on the figure of Saint Peter, spokesman for the apostles.

Matthew presents the famous “Confession of St. Peter” and Jesus’ response to that confession of faith.

The event takes place in Caesarea Philippi, a pagan region in the ancient territory of Palestine, as a sign that the mission of Peter and the apostles will not be limited to their own countries or lands but will be universal.

They must be willing to reach the pagan regions and follow the Master wherever he wants to lead them.

He will be the infallible friend with whom they shared many moments during their earthly life.

A true friendship is based on unlimited trust.

The true friend is the one who is with you when you need it most.

Jesus wants to know to what extent his disciples are willing to follow him.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

This was Peter’s answer to that question, speaking for himself and for the other apostles.

It is a profession of faith that goes beyond that expressed by the people.

Jesus is not a mere prophet; he is so much more.

He is the long-awaited Messiah, the Anointed of God, truly the Son of God himself.

Knowing him and remaining with him, Peter and the apostles possess the authentic presence of God, that “attractive light” which cannot be despised or renounced.

Today Jesus asks each of us this same question: And you, who do you say I am?

It’s not about responding with beautiful words taken from a book of poems, it’s about responding with our lives.

Today it is worth asking ourselves: how do I answer this fundamental question that Jesus is asking me?

The answer must be an analysis of our whole life: within our families, at work, in public life, and in our community of faith.

We must always bear in mind what Jesus expects of us in this precise space and time.

Let us allow ourselves to be called by the Lord with the name he deems most appropriate for each of us, according to our personal style and type of life and the faith we profess.

Jesus gives Peter a new name, and that new name includes a new mission.

With the words, “And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock, I will build my Church,” Jesus welcomes Simon Peter’s answer.

Giving him a new name meant a new vocation and mission.

Now he actively participates in Christ’s mission: that is, Peter becomes our Lord’s traveling companion in the reconstruction of the new Israel, in the construction of God’s new house and family; in the Jesus movement, as our Bishop Michael Curry always says.

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of this new ‘building’.

Starting with Peter, all the apostles and their followers are destined to participate in this vocation and mission of Christ their Master, recognized by them as the Son of the living God.

The legitimacy of his role derives from this mandate conferred on Peter.

Hence also the certainty that, as long as they remain faithful to this mandate, no earthly or superhuman power will prevail over them.

Peter and the apostles put into question our mediocre lives and make us reconsider how we follow Jesus Christ.

The essence of the story lies in Peter’s recognition of the authentic identity of Jesus, where we can clearly see the inspiring presence of the Holy Spirit.

The Trinitarian content of the scene is more than evident.

It is not, therefore, a human foundation.

The Church is a transcendent reality based on the presence of God.

But this, in turn, must be assumed with great humility: we must avoid giving ourselves titles, only using those given us through God’s benevolence and wisdom.

Following Peter’s example, we too hope for a positive ending.

Because our personal history is a mosaic of confessions of faith and denials, enthusiasms and discouragements, successes, and failures.

But such a situation shouldn’t lead us to anguish, much less to neurosis.

This is our human condition, a cross between good and evil almost at the same time.

Therefore, if we are faithful to the Lord, let us rejoice; if we disappoint him, let us continue to trust intensely in his infinite mercy.

God promises us his help; he is always ready to help us.

But it is also true that often our stubbornness exceeds all limits, many times we despise that strong and sure hand and prefer our independence, our autonomy, our freedom which, when misused, easily turns into depravity.

And when this happens, we risk our salvation, endangering what is most valuable in this life and in the next.

Let us always strive to be faithful to our Christian principles, to our faith, to our vocation, in order to win the small battles and finally to win the big war.

Amen!