Who Do We Say Jesus Is?"

Today's Mass Readings


Today is the Friday of the second week in Lent, but it is also the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle, and the readings for today go along with that feast. The focus of the first reading and responsorial psalm is on shepherding. The responsorial psalm is a particularly striking one, Psalm 23, which is often read at both Christian and Jewish funerals to this day. The Lord is our shepherd, and He is the model shepherd. St. Peter, and all of the popes, are particularly called to model their role as shepherds after the Lord, the true shepherd of all. The Gospel reading for today is especially important. It is here that we see Jesus establishing Peter as the first pope. This passage from Matthew's Gospel is one of only two places in the four Gospels where the word "church" is mentioned. The Church is the fulfilled kingdom of David. And as with the kingdom of David, under King Solomon for example, Jesus too has twelve royal ministers (1 Kings 4:7; Matthew 10:1), representing the twelve tribes of Israel. And likewise, Jesus too has a royal steward, or prime minister, Simon Peter, who alone among the twelve carries the keys of the kingdom (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:19). Indeed, Jesus even changes Simon's name to Peter (which means Rock) to emphasize that it is upon Peter that Jesus will build His church.

These points are all important to keep in mind, because this is the feast we are celebrating today, but there are other aspects to this passage that are even more important. Notice Jesus' question: Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15). What is your answer to this question? Is Jesus just another prophet? Or is He Who Peter confesses Him to be, the Christ, the Son of the living God?

Our answer to this question is important. This is really what today's feast is about. The Papacy is there for the world as a sign, a sign of Christ's presence in His Church and in the world. The content of Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ is the foundation of our faith. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. But this has implications for our lives.

Throughout this day, and throughout the rest of this season of Lent, let us reflect upon Who we say Jesus is. Do our lives reflect what we believe about Jesus? Let us examine our lives carefully to make sure that they do reflect our belief in Jesus as the Christ, as God come down to us in human flesh. If we notice areas of our life that need to be worked on, let us work on them to bring them into conformity with our knowledge of who Jesus is, so that our actions, and not only our words, may be seen as acceptable sacrifices to God, our loving Father.

Jeff Morrow