And The Answer Is?
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” – LK 9: 20
Just before this question that Jesus asked His disciples, as well as us, in today’s Gospel from St Luke, He asked who do the people say He is? As a means of combining both questions, perhaps we should ask ourselves, who do the people we hang around with and live with say Jesus is? We know how the Apostles answered regarding prophets and John the Baptist, but it was only Peter who had the ears of his heart open to hear the Holy Spirit and say to Jesus that He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter, only God. We understand this revelation from over 2,000 years of Catholicism. But do we thoroughly believe it? Through the "eyes of faith" Peter discovered who Jesus truly was. Peter recognized that Jesus was much more than a great teacher, prophet, and miracle worker. Peter was the first apostle to publicly declare that Jesus was the Anointed One, consecrated by the Father and sent into the world to redeem a fallen human race enslaved to sin and cut off from Eternal Life with God.
We all have Hope in God, that desire to spend Eternity with Him. However, we have to do the work to get there, God will provide what we need and help us but not do everything. We have togrow in our Faith, every day, in order to prepare ourselves and achieve this Hope that we have. We must begin to understand the concept of dying to self in order to Love God and Serve Him. Thus, we need to share in the mission and victory of Jesus Christ. A mission that includes loving others like God wants. If we want to share in the victory of Jesus, then we must also take up our cross and follow where He leads us. What is the "cross" that we each must take up each day? When my will and yours does not align with God's Will. We know that His Will should be done yet we decide ours is a higher priority. This is when we cross His. This is why we need to continually walk with Jesus in order to know Jesus. This knowledge is power!! This power helps us come to understand the power of His victory on The Cross where He defeated sin and conquered death through His Resurrection. By truly accepting this we are able to allow the Holy Spirit to give each of us the gifts and strength we need to live as sons and daughters of God. To search out and hang out with others who feel and live the same way. Like with St Peter, the Holy Spirit gives us Faith to know the Lord Jesus personally as our Redeemer, and the power to live the Gospel faithfully, and the courage to Witness to others the joy, truth, and freedom of the Gospel. So, who do we say that Jesus is?
"Lord Jesus, I believe, and I profess that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Take my life, my will, and all that I have, that I may be wholly yours now and forever."
May God’s Grace and Blessings Always be with you and yours!! Our Lady of Guadalupe – Pray for us!!
Yours in Christ,
Deacon Bob
St. Clare of Assisi
Houston, TX