In today’s Gospel Jesus asks the disciples “who do you say that I am?”…Peter proclaims that he is “the Christ”…the Messiah! And from this declaration, Jesus proclaims that “Simon” is blessed and that he has come to this insight, not by human knowledge, but Divine inspiration. In the Gospel of Matthew this is another pivotal moment. Jesus acknowledges that he is more than a prophet, more than a messenger…He is the “Son of God”! From this moment forward Jesus’ public ministry takes on cosmic proportions…from now on his mission is to the whole world, not just the People of Israel.
But what does this mean for me? Who do people say I am?….when I am not there to hear? Who do “I” say I am?….by my life…by my words and by my actions? The American educator, Parker Palmer, once proclaimed….”let my life speak”, but speak of what? Can people tell that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ by how I life my life? Is the message of God’s deep and passionate love for all people of every race and Jesus’ clarion call to love and care for others, evidenced in the way I live my life? As a Christian -- a disciple of Jesus Christ -- I am called to love God with my whole being and to love and care for my neighbor as if they were myself! And yet down through history to this very moment in time Christians have perpetrated sins of racism, bigotry, antisemitism and misogyny and outright hatred of their neighbor whom Jesus has commanded they love. And yet we call ourselves followers of Jesus. We cannot hate our neighbor, act with racist and bigoted hearts and believe that we are living as Christ has called us to live. We must ask ourselves: do I harbor hatred, distrust or ill will towards my neighbor? We must name and call out the sins of racism, bigotry, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, homophobia and misogyny when and where we see them!
It is in this way that “our lives will speak” to the world the truth of who Jesus Christ is. That is how our lives will be prophetic! What prophetic witness will I give today to who Jesus is by how I live?
Blessings,
Fr Tim
But what does this mean for me? Who do people say I am?….when I am not there to hear? Who do “I” say I am?….by my life…by my words and by my actions? The American educator, Parker Palmer, once proclaimed….”let my life speak”, but speak of what? Can people tell that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ by how I life my life? Is the message of God’s deep and passionate love for all people of every race and Jesus’ clarion call to love and care for others, evidenced in the way I live my life? As a Christian -- a disciple of Jesus Christ -- I am called to love God with my whole being and to love and care for my neighbor as if they were myself! And yet down through history to this very moment in time Christians have perpetrated sins of racism, bigotry, antisemitism and misogyny and outright hatred of their neighbor whom Jesus has commanded they love. And yet we call ourselves followers of Jesus. We cannot hate our neighbor, act with racist and bigoted hearts and believe that we are living as Christ has called us to live. We must ask ourselves: do I harbor hatred, distrust or ill will towards my neighbor? We must name and call out the sins of racism, bigotry, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, homophobia and misogyny when and where we see them!
It is in this way that “our lives will speak” to the world the truth of who Jesus Christ is. That is how our lives will be prophetic! What prophetic witness will I give today to who Jesus is by how I live?
Blessings,
Fr Tim
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