Sunday– Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

Gospel – Matthew 16:13-19

Who are You?

Church of St. Peter Primacy, Sea of Galilee

Who are you?  No, I don’t mean the theme song from CSI!  I mean, if someone asked you who you are, how would you answer?  Some would respond simply with their name.  Others might say I’m a father, a wife, a son, grandma, cousin, friend.  Still others might say teacher, police officer, carpenter, lawyer, nurse, student, bus driver, web designer, athlete. No matter what the answer, each response speaks of a relationship, a connection to others.  Each response ties us to others in unique and personal ways.  None of us live in isolation; we all live in relationships with others.

Jesus asks a similar question in today’s Gospel.  Who do people say I am?  Some say John the Baptist reborn, or Elijah or Jeremiah or a prophet.  Jesus then asks - who do YOU say I am?  And it’s Peter who responds – You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!  Peter’s answer is one of faith!  But it also a recognition of Jesus’ relationship to us.  You are the Christ – the Messiah, OUR Savior.  You are the SON of God!  It is an answer that reflects relationships!  Jesus is not just God; He is OUR Savior.  He is OUR Brother! 

Just as we define ourselves by our relationships, so too Jesus is recognized by His relationship with us.  It is a relationship of love and affection, a family connection.  It is probably a relationship we tend to take for granted.  For example, did we think to add “child of God” or Jesus’ brother/sister to our response to “who are you”?  Why?  Why not?

We celebrate today the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, 2 completely different individuals.  Peter was a poor uneducated fisherman living off the sweat of his brow.  He was hard-headed and didn’t always understand what Jesus was saying, He kept asking Him to explain things.  Paul was highly educated, rich, a Roman citizen, and a Pharisee who persecuted Jesus’ followers.  The two of them did not always get along.  And yet they had one key thing in common – they were brothers in Christ.  They were committed to spreading the Word of God.  And they died for their beliefs.

Who are you?  Do you consider yourself a child of God?  How important is that relationship to you?  Do you live your life spreading the Word?  How dedicated are you to your Brother Jesus?