For the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time…
Jesus … 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?”
Matthew 16: 13-15
One of the most personal questions that Jesus will ever ask us comes from this Sunday’s Gospel: “Who do you say that I am?”
Besides the work of Jesus’ public ministry, the apostles had daily talks and walks and meals and downtime with Jesus. They followed Jesus and became his friends and, eventually, his missionaries. Just as our good friends influence us in life, we are also changed and challenged by our relationship with the divine Friend.
Jesus asks me: Who do you say that I am, Pat?
Answering that question has changed my life for the better. It has renewed me again and again and helped me make course corrections along the way. I’ve learned that being a Christian is less about having information about Jesus, and more about my transformation in and through him. That kind of personal life change comes from knowing Jesus, day by day, over the course of time.
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?
How might Jesus’ question—“Who do you say that I am?”— change or challenge you at this time?
Dear Jesus, Divine Friend, help me to draw closer to you, and remove any intentional or unintentional barriers I may have placed between me and you.
