Today's Gospel is one that makes it very easy, not to mention tempting, to get really theological. The temptation is twofold: Christology or ecclesiology. I suppose a third temptation is an apologetic for the papacy (maybe best labeled 2a).
This is not to say none those things should be left unaddressed. It's perfectly legitimate and, at times, even necessary to do so, depending on the medium and on circumstances. I'm sure at one time or another, I've done all three with regard to this passage from Saint Matthew's Gospel.
But today, I feel impelled to make it more personal. After all, the question the Lord poses to Peter on the road to Caesarea Philippi is the question he poses to you and to me: "But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15). I think that he asks this question while he and his disciples were on the way, on the road, has some significance. As members of God's pilgrim people, we're all on our way. If we're moving, our understanding of who Jesus is changes, that is, deepens over time.
Something the late Rich Mullins said a long time ago kind of gets to the point I'm trying to make: "Life and living comes from God- it comes from Jesus- not from doctrine or good morals" (Les Sussman. Praise Him!: Christian Music Stars Share Their Favorite Verses from the Scriptures: 1998). I'm going to leave good morals alone apart from saying that reducing faith to morals is very common. It's not that morals don't matter, like doctrine, they do matter. It's just, as Rich went on to say, "sometimes I think we put the cart before the horse." As far as doctrine, Saint Paul states it nicely in our reading from Romans: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Romans 11:33). Words always fall short of the Mystery.
Jesus Walking, by Alexandre Bida, 1891
Christians know the answer to the question (it's what makes you a Christian): Jesus is Lord. He is the Messiah. He's the Savior, the Son of God, etc. But isn't reciting these titles, as accurate and truthful as I believe them to be, just saying things about him? Without a doubt, each of us, as Depeche Mode insisted, has our own personal Jesus. This shouldn't be too shocking. After all, isn't it a good thing to have and cultivate a personal relationship with the Lord? But even short of a relationship with him, everyone has an image, an idea, of him.
One risk in having a personal Jesus is that we can make him not only personal but private. This is done by making him into my image instead of letting myself be conformed into his image. At certain times in history, even the Church has made the Lord into someone other than who he is. But even during dark times, there were always those, like Saint Francis of Assisi, who came along in the thirteenth century, when the institution of the Church was at a particularly low ebb, who've not merely professed that Jesus is Lord but who lived out the radical implications of this profession of faith.
Saint Anthony, the great Desert Father, was another such figure. One day in Church, he heard Jesus' teaching about selling everything and following him (Matthew 19:21). In response, Anthony did just that. Both of these show the need for community, for the Church.
The Church isn't built on the confession of a perfect disciple who had it all figured out at that moment on the dusty Galilean road. Not only would Peter go on to deny Jesus during his passion, he would be rebuked by Paul for falling back in with those Christians who continued to insist that even Gentile converts needed to adhere to the Law (see Galatians 2:11-14).
I firmly believe that Peter answered Jesus's question both correctly and sincerely. Let's not forget, he was still on the way, as am I, as are you. Peter still has a lot to learn about what it means to confess Jesus as Messiah, as Son of God. I do, too. I am encouraged that, as Michael Card sang, "There is a joy in the journey."
No comments:
Post a Comment