A Reflection for the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
In the gospel reading today Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” His disciples reply to his question by offering the common perception that Jesus is a prophet like John the Baptist or Elijah. Jesus then asks them, “But who do you say that I am?"
With his characteristic eagerness, Simon Peter is the first to respond: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus affirms this description and even tells Peter this knowledge of Jesus’s true identity comes from heaven. After Peter gets an A+ on the “Who is Jesus?” pop quiz, Jesus promises him that he will be the foundation of the ekklésia, the early Christian community.
Whenever I read or hear this section of Matthew, I cannot help thinking of Peter’s denial of Jesus in Chapter 26 of the same gospel. Was Peter’s commitment to Jesus really so strong? Peter shows us that it is easy to affirm Jesus Christ’s identity in the company of one’s affiliates in faith. It is much harder to affirm Jesus as the Christ when one encounters challenging circumstances that threaten one’s sense of security. Peter’s capacity for affirmation and denial remind us that it is easy to let external conditions determine the strength of our religious conviction. This Lent, may we remember the ways that fear can make frail our faith. May we also remember the convicted eagerness that characterizes Peter’s declaration of Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). And may this affirmation lead us to build a church that radiates the vibrancy, inclusivity and joy of our living God.
