Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 27, 2023 - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[Isa 22:19-23; Rom 11:33-36; Matt 16:13-20]Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and 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 Christ, the Son of the living God." [Matthew]
Peter's profession of faith gets him the job of leading the church! The other two "synoptic gospels," Mark and Luke, mention the profession of faith but not the job offer!! (The role of Peter as the leader, however, comes out in all four gospels.) All three do mention that Jesus says to the disciples, (basically), "Peter is right, but don't tell anybody about it!" Of course, all this is before the death and resurrection of Jesus and the Pentecost event. Then it was important to tell the world! Peter, now called Francis, is a living proclamation of Jesus' reaction to Peter's faith. I wonder what those disciples would think if they were invited back to see what became of Peter's role through history to the present!
The point of the incident, in the gospels at least, is more about the profession of faith than it is about Peter's appointment. The apologetic use of the passage to defend the papacy has a long history, just as the papacy does! But Jesus addressed his question to all his disciples: "But who do YOU say that I am?" Well?.....who DO we say that he is? And do we tell anybody about him? Answering those two questions may not get us a job offer like Peter's (thank the Lord!), but it most likely will help us gain eternal life! AMEN