Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Jesus asks two very important questions in today’s Gospel.
This is the first question: “Who do people say that I am?”
People have been talking about Jesus ever since he was born. Herod was afraid of him. The Pharisees called him a fraud. Some thought he was John the Baptist come back from the dead. A few believed he was Elijah returning to redeem Israel or one of the other prophets.
Over the centuries, some have called him a great teacher, others a great social worker. Others called him a misguided martyr.
None of these opinions of the identity of Jesus would make me want to follow him and give my life to him.
But there is an even more important question that Jesus asks in today’s Gospel. I find it to be the most important question of the Bible. He asks his followers: “But who do you say that I am?”
What do I say about Jesus? Who is he to me? Why would I want to pick up my cross and follow after him? Why would I want to suffer with him, die with him, and eventually — will I rise up again with him?
Peter, the rock, is the one who gives voice to the final answer of every disciple to Jesus, “You are the Christ.”
At some point in our lives, we needed to make a decision in order to be a follower. Even if we were baptized as infants into the faith of the Church, we needed to decide for ourselves at some point: Who is Jesus? Will I stay with him, ignore him, or abandon him?
I ask myself the question often: Who is Jesus? I say that Jesus is the Son of God, the Word made flesh, the face of the Father’s love, the suffering servant, the worker of miracles, the one who is risen from the dead.
He is the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation. He is present in the Eucharist, as he promised to be.
Jesus is the one who died for my sins. He is the one who has forgiven me and lifted me up. He is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for me. He is the reason why I am alive and will live beyond the grave.
He is the Christ of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
That is why we follow him.
Have a blessed week everyone.