Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’

“But who do you say that I am?”. We are in a place and time in history where this question is rather loaded. Sharing your understanding of who Jesus is with your family, friends and broader community no longer seems to just reveal your personal theology, or the role that Jesus plays in your life, rather it now reveals your political leanings as well. With so many voices with global platforms and conflicting self-serving agendas currently declaring how Jesus would be on ‘their side’ of politics, of war, or that Jesus shares their ideology and so forth, it can be hard for even the most committed Christian to make sense of all the noise, let alone someone who has limited knowledge of Jesus.

This is why this Gospel is so important for us to pay attention to. “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) It reminds us to deafen our ears to what people say about Jesus in favour of opening the ears of our hearts to who we know Jesus to be. We are called to prayerfully and faithfully walk in the footsteps of Jesus as we go out on mission to proclaim the Good News. Not our personal version of the Gospel message that serves ourselves, but the Good News that leads us to be the hands and feet of Christ in service of the other, even those with whom we are in conflict.

Take a moment today to sit with the question “But who do you say that I am?” as you open the ears of your heart to the Son of the living God.