June 29, 2014: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

I will talk honestly with Jesus, telling him what is in my heart and trusting in his love for me no matter what I say. (This photo is of the Church of the Immaculate Conception on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.)

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-19)

Reflection:

We can sometimes learn a lot by asking our friends what other people think of us.
We can even ask them what they themselves think of us.
Jesus has a different purpose. Through his questions, Jesus is helping his followers grow in faith and witness to him. He asks us, too, and the question goes deep into our hearts: “Who do you say I am?”

Action:

I imagine that Jesus is looking right at me and asking me, “Who do you say I am?”
I will take some time to talk with Jesus about this most important question. I will talk honestly with him, telling him what is in my heart and trusting in his love for me no matter what I say. I will also ask myself how I would tell my friends what Jesus means to me.