By William Selvaraj csc –
Readings: 1Pet 5: 1-4; Mt 16: 13-19
The feast of the chair of St. Peter, Apostle reminds us that it was on Peter that Jesus conferred authority and leadership. He would be the first among equals.
On Peter, Jesus would build his church. To Peter, he would give supreme authority to bind and unbind, but it was not to dominate but to serve like Jesus who had become the slave and servant of all. Authority is given for service.
The Gospel tells us about Peter’s declaration of who Jesus Christ is. In our society for each and everything there is an opposite word. For instance: blessing and curse, black and white, light and darkness, private and public. Jesus asks two important questions to his disciples: Firstly, who do people say that I am?
Secondly, who do you say that I am? The answer is also of vital importance for his disciples. We see in the Gospel two opinions expressed about Jesus: One is the public view about Jesus that he is John the Baptist, Elijah, an ancient prophet come back to life. He asked his close disciples. “Who do you say I am?” It was Simon Peter who answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16: 16-17). This is the private opinion that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, and the anointed one of God. This is through the help of supernatural and divine revelation. Apostles could confess because they were his close followers who had lived with him and listened to Jesus always.
There is a lot of difference in different people’s experience of Jesus. Jesus raises a personal question to you and me ‘who do you personally say I am?’ To answer this question each should have a personal experience of Jesus and understand him well to confess that he is my real saviour and true friend with whom I feel free and share all things of my life. So, let us always pray for the discernment to perceive Jesus as the personal Saviour and Redeemer who came to teach us about the kingdom of God.