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| Matt. 16:13-20 |
Imagine that someone was walking around your town saying that he was God. Most people would assume he was crazy without even listening to him. Others might have heard what he said and be inspired by his words. What if someone said that she saw him heal someone who was sick or dying! What would you think of him? Would you try to find out more about him? Would you be too busy to care? It would be really hard to know who this person was or what our response to him should be. This is the dilemma that Jesus’ followers had too.
They were not born Christians they had to really reflect and discern if they should listen to Him and follow Him. Some began to follow Him and then left because they didn’t like His message or didn’t want to have to change their lifestyle. For those followers of Jesus, especially his closest followers, the Apostles, it took a ton of faith and trust to follow some guy who said he was God. Peter and the Apostles were able to know that Jesus was God because they were open to what God wanted from them; they witnessed His words, actions and were open to the possibility of miracles. We too can see miracles, God’s work in this world, if we look with eyes of faith.
In the Gospel Peter exclaims with joy, you are the Christ (the anointed one), the Son of the living God. Jesus replies that Peter is blessed because God has revealed that truth to him. Because of this faith Jesus made Peter the rock (the word peter in Latin means rock) for his community of believers, the Church.
We too continue to need that faith in Jesus as members of Jesus’ Church. Science, logic, and prudence cannot allow us to know the God who is sometimes mysterious, illogical, and recklessly loving. Only faith in the everlasting God who made us and who placed everlasting hearts within us can open our eyes. Jesus is asking us to grow our faith, our inner life, so that we can see Him and know Him more and more. He loves us and wants us to be with Him, isn’t that a miracle?
-What do you believe about Jesus?
-What is the hardest part about having Faith?
-How can you grow your faith? What does prayer have to do with growing Faith? Being a part of a Christian community?
Photo Credits: www.tlc.org
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