Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (June 29, 2017): Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Acts 12:1-11
Ps 34:2-9
2 Tim 4:6-8, 17-18
Matthew 16:13-19
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/062917-day.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_06_29.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. 
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 

Who do you say Jesus is? This is the question posed to each of us in today’s Gospel reading, not only for our own spiritual growth, but also because our lives are billboards that display Jesus to the people around us who know that we call ourselves Christians.

Consider what you’re advertising when you need Jesus to rescue you from an unhappy situation. In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter is rescued by an angel. In the responsorial Psalm we declare: “The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.” Does your behavior say to others that this is true for everyone?

Which (if any) of the following does your behavior advertise that Jesus is?

[ ] A Limited Human Being. Friends and family have let you down, so of course Jesus will too. You rely only on your own resources, because you don’t really believe you can depend on Jesus.

[ ] A Cosmic Force. Because Jesus ascended to heaven, he doesn’t get involved in your everyday, earthly concerns. You don’t ask for his help while driving and wondering which route to take, or when selecting the day’s clothing or choosing the right purchases.

[ ] A Magic Genie. Rub him the right way, and he’ll grant your wish with a snap of his almighty finger. You perform religious rituals perfectly and say the “right” prayers, and when nothing happens, you think it’s because you didn’t pray rightly.

[ ] Santa Claus. Give Jesus your wish list and make sure you’re a good girl or boy so that he brings you whatever you want. You try to win him over by volunteering for parish ministries and talking a lot about religious things using Christian buzzwords.

[ ] A Marshmallow. He’s always soft; he understands why you sin and therefore it’s okay to do it again. You rarely see a need for the Sacrament of Confession, and if you actually examine your conscience, you rationalize away your guilt.

[ ] A Punisher. Jesus is watching your every move, waiting for you to do something wrong so that he can punish you. You assume that you’ll never be good enough to please God. You think you don’t deserve to have fun or to receive good things.

[ ] The Embodiment of Love. When you picture Jesus, he is smiling. He knows you intimately and cares about you totally. Because he loves you whether you deserve it or not, you proceed through hardships like he’s already working a plan that will make everything turn out good. Your positive attitude shows others that you’re blessed because of him, no matter what happens.

Who do you say Jesus is?

My Lord Jesus, give me the experience of You that I need so much. May it root in me the full conviction of who You are. May Your Holy Spirit be in my life, the engine to announce Your Name to all nations. Amen.