Jesus 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.’ Matthew 16:15-17

In Jesus’ time, there were many who were considered to be miracle workers, healers, prophets, and even messiahs. Some were charlatans but many were sincere. They even paid for their convictions with their lives. Many who followed Jesus around and witnessed His acts and listened to His teachings believed that He was one of these. Probably they thought he was one of the best but He wasn’t the Christ for them.

In today’s world, we still have miracle workers, we call them scientists. They have done incredible work. They can take mountains and move them into the ocean. They are also like sages. They can explain the mysteries and marvels of the universe. We have our healers. These are doctors, therapists, and surgeons. They have saved millions from sickness, disease and self-destruction. Even the preachers who claim to heal the sick and lame in a supernatural manner rush themselves to the hospital to be attended by these modern healers when they themselves are sick. We have our modern prophets, too. These come in all shapes and forms. Most of them have something relevant and concrete to say and we should listen to them with much discernment, naturally. Of course, we have our messiahs, too. The government, the school and the church are vying for this role in society. Many believe that a certain politician or better still, political ideology, or an educational system will save humanity from its downward spiral.

Among all these, the question of Jesus is asked of us; “Who do you say I am?” Or in other words, what role does Jesus play in our lives?

The problem with this question is that we are liable to give a conventional answer. Most of us have been catechized in the church. We know the right and proper answer to give. Jesus was expecting something beyond a simple right or wrong answer. He deliberately chose the location to do it; in a district named after the authoritative power of the reigning empire. Some historians say that it was customary for them to have an image of the emperor in these regions. The Roman Empire was perhaps the most excellent empire at that period. The Caesar was considered and identified himself as the savior for the world. Many Roman citizens were convinced that the empire was the best and most wisest thing to happen to the world. Even the Jewish authorities wanted to be keep things as they are because they were satisfied with the arrangement. Apparently, there was no real need for the Messiah at that moment. The Crucifixion made this attitude quite evident.

Jesus asked this question in the midst of the glory and splendor of what the world offered. Our Lord was the complete opposite of the powers and authorities of His society. This is true today, too. He is completely the opposite of everything we consider to be successful, even in religious circles. He asked his disciples if they were able to see something different in Him. This was not a question posed to the masses. It was asked of disciples who had seen Jesus in all His vulnerable moments. They had seen Him hungry and thirsty, lonely and feeling abandoned, angry and frustrated. They had seen Him run and hide when the Pharisees wanted to arrest Him. Something the world would have perceived as fear but the disciples knew better. Jesus operated on different values. They knew Him more intimately than any of us could ever know Him. They followed Him without knowing how all this was going to end. Obviously all the disciples had different reasons for following Jesus. James and John saw it as their opportunity to be great. Others might have seen something to help them get out of their mundane lives. Judas had his reasons too, which we will never know. Peter was the only one who had the audacity to confess that He was and is the Christ.

The problem is that this title has been trivialized today. Many use this term as if it is the surname of our Lord. Many do not know its true meaning even in religious circles. However, Peter knew the full implication of this term. The Christ was the finality of all things essential for life. There was no need to wait for anything else or anyone else to reveal the Truth. As St Paul later expressed this same idea more succinctly in his letter,

“Christ is all and in all.” (Col. 3:11)

Just to bring this verse into context, it was proclaimed in the context of a debate where the inclusion of other peoples was disputed. Paul reminded that Christ was sufficient and there was no need to make any more demands to include people. This was Paul’s most intimate understanding of the meaning of Christ. We should not forget that when he was a Pharisee, he initiated the persecution of the followers of Jesus because they were going to include Gentiles into the fold. Paul met the Christ and realized that He sufficed and there was no longer anything else needed.

Many follow Jesus for various reasons. However, He cannot be our Christ unless our souls are touched by the Holy Spirit. There are no doctrines, liturgy nor rituals to achieve this. The “Christ” of Jesus cannot be safeguarded by the church. It belongs eternally to Jesus and only can be made alive in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t mean that once we have this realization we automatically become saints. Peter went from being nominated “Pope”, as the Roman Catholic tradition believes, to being called “Satan”. There is a danger of those who discover the Christ to confuse their union with His Spirit as an exclusive right to His movements. The greatest of our saints in the Christian tradition were aware of this. This is why in their writings we often read about their deep self awareness of their weaknesses. This is not self condemnation. Maybe it was in some cases but more often than not, it was a deep awareness that their spiritual fervor could become something diabolical if it was not seasoned with wisdom and humility.

Peter embarked on a journey where he discovered what it meant to recognize Jesus as Christ. He was the one who bravely led the first church to step out of the confines of Judaism and open the doors of fellowship to the Gentiles. He opened himself to listen to the Holy Spirit even when it meant leaving behind the traditions of his ancestors. Peter allowed the reality of Christ to grow in Him. He was not perfect by any means but we can see perfectly how he lived his life for the Christ.

We are often asked what we do for the children and teens in the streets. We do a lot of different things for different individuals. However, the truth is whatever we do is not going to change their situation and circumstance radically. Most of them will always be homeless or at least living at the borders of homelessness all their lives. Maybe a few might find a way out. These are the exceptions. Most of our children will have children who will end up living in the streets like them. We have seen three generations in homeless situations. This may sound like a tragic and hopeless situation for many because it is. It is best to face reality because we cannot discover the true message of the gospel unless we confront it.

It is in these circumstances that we hear Jesus asking us, “But who do you say I am?” The answer cannot be formulated in mere words. It is a lifestyle. If we say that Jesus is Christ, then there is no need to wait for anyone or anything else to happen. He is the finality of all things necessary to live a full and good life. Of course, there are political and social battles to be fought. I am not denying this. However, none of these battles can change the lives of our homeless children and teens. None of these victories can bring hope and peace in their hearts. The only thing can bring meaning to their existence is knowing in their most intimate being that Jesus is Christ. This is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit. We are here to testify that He is indeed Christ even in the most desperate and hopeless situation. It is not easy to say this in the midst of their circumstances. It might seem inadequate and even a little embarrassing. There are some who think that this is too spiritual and not practical enough. People who think this do not understand what it means to say Jesus is Christ. It means engaging tough situations without waiting for anyone or anything else to happen. It means having the courage to be the Light of Love even in the darkest places where hatred strives. It is not shrugging our responsibilities but Christ gives the courage to assume them completely. Peter paved the way for us. In this way, he is truly the rock of our church. He had the courage to proclaim Jesus as Christ. He showed us that regardless of what confronts us, Jesus suffices because He is truly the One and Only Christ.