Recognizing Christ, The Son Of The Living God

Readings: 1st: Is 22, 19-23; Ps 137, 1-3.6. 8; 2nd: Rom 11, 33-36; Gos: Mt 16, 13-20

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp. He is a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). He is a missionary in Puerto Rico. He is the Parish Priest of Parroquia la Resurrección del Senor, Canóvanas, and the Major Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. He was the chancellor of the Diocese of Fajardo Humacao, Puerto Rico. Fr. Canice is a member of the Academy of Homiletics. For more details and comments contact him at: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

On this twenty-first Sunday, the church enjoins us to recognize and reverence Christ. We can appreciate his greatness when we recognize who Christ is, as Peter did. However, this is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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In today’s first reading, God manifested his power as the sovereign Lord. He dethroned the proud and wicked Shebna and exalted the humble and faithful Eliakim. In this reading, Eliakim prefigures Christ, the messiah: He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts and shuts, and no one opens” (Rev 3:7). Through his humility, God gave him all authority both in heaven and on earth. Christ delegated the same authority to Peter over his church through His solemn declaration, as we see in today’s gospel.

In the second reading, Paul exalts the greatness of God. He contemplates: “How rich are the depths of God, how impossible it to penetrate his motive or understand his methods, who could ever know the mind of God?” Indeed, as humans, we cannot fathom the wisdom and greatness of God. However, God reveals himself to those who love him and to whomever he chooses to reveal himself.

He reveals the depth of his mind to the one willing to go the extra mile with him and to the one who is docile to the Spirit of God. So, it is unsurprising that he revealed himself extraordinarily to his humble servants like Mary, Peter, Paul, and other apostles.

He reveals himself to those who seek him truthfully, honestly, and with a clear conscience. He has revealed himself fully to us in Jesus Christ. Hence, only those who allow the eyes of their mind to be illumined by the Holy Spirit can comprehend the depths of God’s motive.

Today’s gospel begins dramatically and interestingly. Jesus was aware of the confusion about his personality and mission. So, He decided to know what his disciples think about him: “Whom do people say I am? You, whom do you say I am?” From the response of some of them, it was obvious that they had no clear idea of who Christ was.

Peter came to their rescue. “You are the Christ, the son of the living God!” This answers the “messianic secret” (Mk 1: 43-35). How did Peter know this? Simple! God himself revealed it to him through the Holy Spirit, as Jesus affirmed.

The response of Peter provoked a fundamental declaration from Christ, similar to the one in our first reading. Christ gave Peter the keys as a sign of his apostolic and ministerial authority over the entire church of Christ. This became possible because he recognized Christ. So, Christ was not wrong in making him the head of his earthly church. He occupies this position today through the apostolic succession of the Popes.

If Christ were to ask us the same question today, “who do you say I am”? What would be our response? We cannot comprehend Christ’s identity unless we have an intimate relationship with him. Again, and most importantly, we cannot respond fully to this question unless we are docile to the Holy Spirit, who reveals the depth of God’s mind.

Finally, only believers who recognize who Christ is, have a special place in him. Therefore, our greatest desire every day should be, as Paul says, “To know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share in his suffering by becoming like him in his death” (Phil 3:10).

Peace be with you all!

Maranatha!