Sunday Reflections

Today’s gospel is another powerful example Jesus used to teach His apostles.

Picture yourself as one of his disciples.  You have been with Jesus for a time.  You have heard Him teaching both large crowds and speaking one-on-one. You have either witnessed or heard about several miracles including the curing of illnesses and even the raising of the dead.  So, how do you draw on these experiences when he now asks, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is”?

Pause to reflect on what your response would have been.  Would you have responded by summarizing the most profound events you have seen or heard about associated with Him?  Or would you have responded by naming what you believe are the most significant foundations of His message relating to the love of God and the love of neighbor? Would your response have varied, if it wasn’t Jesus asking you this question, but one of the other disciples?

You had not yet been educated on the role of the Holy Spirit and yet, Simon Peter’s response was Spirit-based, as Jesus attested, “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you.”  You were probably left wondering how Peter came up with such a wise response. 

The implications of the importance of a Spirit-based response are further attested to by Jesus’s words, “the gates of Hades will not prevail against it”, and “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven”.

In today’s second reading Paul proclaims, “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.”  This is available through the intercession of the Spirit. 

In the first reading we are reminded of the consequences of calling on the Spirit as Eliakim did, and became, “the father to the habitants of Jerusalem”.

You know about the importance of a Spirit based response.  So, going forward, how will you use this knowledge to help inform your responses?