August 21st - Reflection

10th Sunday After Pentecost
Matthew 16:13-20 (NRSV)

The profession of Peter's faith 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." Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Reflection

Who is Jesus? Who do you think he is? I'm sure the disciples had this conversation before Jesus asked the question. I can just see them sitting together and discussing who is this guy? Are we sure of what we are doing following him? Then the conversation would begin and this and that would be discussed with all sorts of points of view offered.

Now the question is directly from Jesus. Peter answers, "You are the Messiah..." This confession from Peter didn't occur with little thought. Peter had thought about this. And this confession was a turning point in Jesus ministry, because from this point on we head towards the cross.

Contrast Peter's brilliant confession with some of the other things he has said and done. The Peter declared to be the rock is the Peter that is the faithful, confessing and obedient Peter, not the bumbling, stumbling Peter.

And here is our role as well. In faithfulness, we come to God and confess Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior. Once we begin this walk our trust and faith build and grow and we are called to be obedient to God and his call and way in our lives.

It sounds all a little fuzzy to me. But when you look around at your life and in your life, you begin to see how God has been active. God gives all of us the here and now. We meet people, we go through situations, we live life. God has given to us the Bible, God's Word, it's there everywhere. Pick it up and begin to read it. Reflect on those words and see how they apply to your life. God gives you people and your place in life. Apply the lessons from his Word in the Bible to your life. Live your life in obedience to God through Word and Sacrament. You are to act in kindness to the poor and love one another. You don't have to be a Bible scholar to begin. Just begin and trust God to guide you through the Holy Spirit.

And so your confession grows and deepens and your actions begin to become responses. You spend time with God thinking throughout the day in all situations of what you may recall from the Bible, sermons, the Sacraments or conversations with other Christians. And you live your life on the rock of Peter, that first confession that Jesus is the Messiah. You live your life on the trust and hope that even when you stumble and sin, Jesus will pick you up, dust you off, maybe give you a kick in the pants, and start walking with you once again, teaching you from and about your mistakes.

The confession...the faithfulness... the obedience... the rock. Thanks be to God!

Prayer

Lord, I'm a pretty big stumbling, bumbling fool at times. You are the Messiah. I need you. I need your teaching. I need your Word. I need the pages of the Bible, that wonderful gift you have given. I need the Sacraments that teach me heavenly ways through earthly elements. I need the Holy Spirit to guide me. I need you! Pick me up, dust me off, kick me in the pants, and teach me some more, today... tomorrow... and until I'm what you want me to be. --- Amen