As Christ asked his disciples, who do you think I am?, he is also asking us right now that same question. How do we see Jesus in our lives? Our concept and experience of God is very much crucial to the quality of our Christian life and faith. The way we see God affects the very core of our being and also the way we relate and see others around us. If I see God as someone who is up there observing me like a specimen in a microscope, waiting for me to sin in order to punish me, then my relationship with him will always be marked with fear and trepidation. That is why it would not be so surprising if my relationships with others would also be that way; one would always be overly critical of oneself and of other people for, indeed, our relationship with God is the
foundation of all of our other relationships.
And what is this relationship with God like? As told in the gospel story, God will not just settle that our relationship with him is based on what others say about Him, or what others think about who God is, or what others wrote and teach about him. This relationship is marked with a personal encounter, and a personal experience of being loved by Him. I don’t know exactly how to describe it – but, it is that passionate conviction and faith that there is truly someone who has offered his life for me so that I can be fully alive. I don’t mean to sound dramatic here. But, an authentic experience of the love of God and who He is cannot simply be given to us by reading materials or even by the deepest theological reflections. It can only be genuinely described by having experienced it ourselves. That is why Jesus personally asked his apostles, who do you think that I am. He was not expecting them to answer based on what others may have said about him or the general opinion of the Community; rather, he wants to know their answers based on their own personal and intimate relationship with Christ. With all honesty and with serious reflection, what would be your answer if Jesus asked you that same question: Who do you say that I am?
The answer of Peter to that question of Christ came with a huge responsibility. It was such a huge responsibility that it needed a change of name (from Cephas to Peter) – a sign that to profess that Jesus is the Son of God, to truly believe in God, entails a radical change of the self, to take the path of conversion, to take seriously the teachings of the Church, and not just to pick and choose what we want to believe. When we were baptized, we were changed anew; we were given a new name, a new identity, and that newness is to be conformed into who Christ really is. In short, to be baptized in Christ is to make the face of Christ present and visible through us. This is not an easy thing if taken seriously. Imagine being given the responsibility to represent Christ in this world. If God was to do a performance evaluation just like an employer does to his/her staff, how well would we fare?
The “keys” which Peter receives are the instruments of governing as Jesus received that power from His Father. And we too share in those “keys” when we are baptized. Those keys in the hands of Jesus opened ears, eyes, and hearts. Those “keys” in the hands of Jesus shut out darkness, evil, and death from dominating God’s creation and God’s family. And those same consequences are expected of us. Does participating in the “keys” given to Peter allow us to open the ears, eyes and hearts of others to the truth; did they experience the loving presence of God in us? Having worked with the RCIA, with those adults preparing for baptism , and with those to be received into the Church from
other denominations, I have developed this special admiration and respect for them because a lot of them have decided to be part of the Church or to be baptized in their adulthood because they have painstakingly discovered, studied and experienced the truth. Therefore, they are passionate in living out their baptismal commitment. I am not saying that the cradle Catholics are not passionate in their faith; I have known in this parish incredible men and women who are cradle Catholics and are magnificent examples of Christian discipleship. What I am saying is that sometimes when we get so used to the routines of faith, without taking into heart what it means, it gets insignificant and dry till it gets old and boring. That is why there is always the need for re-evangelization, that rediscovering of who we truly are as baptized so that we can truly be agents of the Gospel. Looking at your own spiritual life right now, how vigorous and excited are you with your faith? – Fr. Cary