SPIRITUAL LIVING
Prayer and Devotions
Who Is the Christ?
by Father Todd Arsenault, LC
Resolution: Take advantage of an occasion to bear witness to Christ today.
February 22, 2008
The Chair of Saint Peter, apostle
Matthew 16: 13-19
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he 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?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Introductory Prayer: I come before you, Lord, a sinner in awe of your great love and mercy. I believe in you, and I put you at the center of my life. I humbly put all that I am before you and, like the apostles, recognize my littleness before your grandeur. With the help of the Blessed Mother’s intercession, I place this meditation into your hands, trusting that you will give me the graces that I need most.
Petition: Lord, help me to recognize my complete dependence on you for grace to live according to your will. Help me to detach myself more each day from the enslaving clutches of sin and vice in my life.
1. Making the Faith My Own In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks his apostles to tell him who others say he is. Then he challenges them to take ownership and say who they think he is. Christ wants us to make an act of faith in him. He has called us to himself to be his disciples in a world that has labeled him everything under the sun. Today, people want Christ to be whom they feel comfortable with, but there is only one Christ for us to follow and worship, and that is the crucified Christ. Christ wants our hearts, not someone else’s opinion.
2. Acknowledging Christ before Others Peter acknowledges who Christ is by saying that he is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. In other words, he is calling him God. This is a revelation to all, but it is one that Christ wants his apostles to understand and embrace completely, because it is essential to all he teaches them. Peter stands before his peers and says this in all confidence. He sets for us an example of how we are to respond before others, even perfect strangers. It isn’t always easy to stand up for our faith in Christ, in his divinity, especially since the world wants to take that away and make him simply one among equals. However, we preach Christ, the Only Son of God.
3. Your Reward Will Be Great in Heaven Maybe we won’t get a pat on the back or be praised by Christ like St. Peter was, but we can be assured that our testimony doesn’t go unnoticed. God our Father sees all and is pleased when we bear witness to his Son’s most holy name. As we journey through Lent, let us continue to offer Christ all that we are and to preach his name in season and out of season. Christ is counting on each of us to be his faithful friends and to be willing to embrace his holy Cross out of love.
Conversation with Christ: Christ, so often in today’s society people trample upon your most precious name. St. Peter, our first pope, gave witness to your divinity to the point of death. Our Holy Father continues to bear witness and inspire us all. I want to be a better witness of you, Lord, and allow people to see you in me. I want all souls to be saved and to know and love you fully. I thank you for being with me and strengthening me in the often difficult task of bringing you to souls.
Resolution: I will take advantage of an occasion to bear witness to Christ today.
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