Who do you say that I am?

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082414.cfm

Quick recap:

1st Reading - Isaiah - Trust in the Lord, lest you incur God's displeasure

Psalm 138 - Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

Epistle - Romans 11 - Marvel at God's Wisdom

Gospel - Matthew 16 - Who do you say that I am? You are Christ, the Son of the living God.

Lots of great Scriptures today, but the part that resonated the most with me was from the Gospel. When Jesus questions the disciples, He first asks who others say that Jesus is. Then Jesus gets right to the point and asks His disciples, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter replies, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." It is not enough for us to repeat what someone else claims; we have to speak for ourselves.



How, exactly, can we know this answer? It all stems from having a personal relationship with Christ. We cannot witness that Jesus is the Son of the living God unless we know it. Living Liturgy 2014 uses the following example:

When we are first introduced to people, we learn their name, what they do, where they live. But this first encounter rarely gives us more than casual information. Only subsequent encounters, conversations, shared experiences can reveal the depth of a person. Time reveals all. So we must take time to encounter Christ and come to know who He is for us and what knowing Him demands of us. Living Liturgy 2014, pg 200

When I was baptized, my parents and godparents claimed me for Christ.  They spoke for me, as I couldn't.  Through their examples and teachings, I grew in knowledge and understanding of my faith.  Yet, until I could answer Jesus' question for myself, I didn't fully know Christ.  I certainly do not know everything and I continue to learn and grow each day, but it is through my personal relationship that I can claim with certainty that Jesus is the Christ.  As with a dear friend, I must spend time with Jesus.  I need to do this in prayer, works, silence, liturgy, and with the Body of Christ, both in the Eucharist and in the people of the Church.  The only catch is that the more I know Christ, the more I learn about living out my call.  It's not easy, and it's not always fun, but the rewards are out of this world :-)