Who do people say that I am?

SAINT PETER'S CHAIR - FEAST

Matthew 16:13-19

Dom Anscar Chupungco, OSB

Our gospel today narrates that our Lord asked his disciples two leading questions. The first is: who do people say that I am? The second is: But who do you say that I am? In answer to the first question the disciples reported what they had heard people say, namely that Jesus was John the Baptist come alive, or Elijah, or one of the great Old Testament prophets. That is what people said, but you, Jesus asked them, what do you tell people about me? Peter, in behalf of his fellow disciples, answered: We tell people that you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

In the understanding of the Jewish people at that time, the Messiah was a mighty king who would come to deliver them from the domination of the Roman conquerors. Jesus, however, had a radically different version of his mission. He did not come for political sovereignty, his kingdom was not of this world. Rather he came to preach the gospel, especially to the poor, to heal those who suffered from any sort of infirmity, and to deliver all from the influence of evil. He was the Messiah, but not the kind of political Messiah the people had in mind. He therefore strictly forbade his disciples from speaking about him as the victorious political Messiah. On the contrary, he informed them that his career would bring him untold suffering and rejection and finally lead him to an ignominious death on the cross.

Today Jesus is asking us the same questions. Who do people say that I am? We can report to him that there are people who still do not know him, or if they do, dismiss his teachings as impractical and outdated. We can tell him that some pay him lip-service: they come to church on Sunday but their life during the rest of the week is a blatant contradiction of his teaching. But we can also assure him that there are people who experience profoundly his power, mercy, and forgiveness; that there are people who are willing to forego personal comforts in order to serve him in their brothers and sisters; that there are people who live honest and dedicated Christian lives. These are some of the things we can report to him.

Jesus has a second question for us: but you, what do you say to people about me? Do you tell those who promote and practice abortion that I require them to respect human life? Do you reprimand illegal loggers so that they will stop despoiling God's creation? Do you remind those in authority that I condemn graft and corruption and the violation of human rights?

Probably few of us will have occasions like these to speak out in behalf of Christ. In the daily routine of life our circle is normally confined to our families, friends, and neighbors. But to them also we must speak about Christ. And Jesus is asking, what do you say to someone close to you who is confused, has become rebellious, and no longer trusts people and perhaps God himself? Jesus is asking, what do you say to a friend who suffers from a heart-breaking experience, whose love has been betrayed, and who is at the point of a break-down? Jesus is asking, what do you say to a neighbor who has lost property to thieves or fire or has been dismissed from work? Do you reassure them that I can give meaning and direction to their lives? Do you comfort them with the assurance that I can bind their wounds, dispel their anxieties, lighten their burdens, and give true and lasting peace to their minds and hearts? Do you tell them with conviction and out of your own experience that I care for them, that I am obsessed with them, that I love them as only God knows how to love?

My brothers and sisters, these are the things Christ wants us to tell people about him. And he warns us that sometimes people will laugh at us and even ostracize us, because our words sound to them as something so naive, so unrealistic, so dreamy, so meaningless. But far be it from us that we preach soft words about Christ's non-negotiable teachings, that we water down the demands of the gospel for fear of becoming unpopular, that we say half-truths in order to sound pleasing and accommodating.

But more convincing than words is the way of life we lead. For our life-style as Christians is the most eloquent form of speaking about Christ. People believe our words, when they see those words written and etched in our lives. We can stop people from abusing others, when we ourselves are just and honest; we can heal a broken family, when we ourselves are faithful and dedicated to our own family; we can reassure people to trust God in times of trials, when we ourselves lead a life of prayer; and we can convince people to be generous with those in need, when we ourselves can part with things we do not need.

To each one of us here, my brothers and sisters, Jesus addresses this very pointed question: what do you tell people about me?