Eucahristic Gospel for Sunday of Proper 16: Year A Matthew 16:13-20
“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)
Jesus has asked his followers who to the people say that he is. And they answered with various responses.
Then he asked them, who do they, his followers, say that he is. And again Peter speaks for the group, “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon lBarjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16 and 17).
And so it is with us today. We do not figure God or Jesus out. We pray and hope for Revelation, Revelation from on High. And then we live the rest of our lives in accordance with this Revelation.
It has occurred to me that our Biblical Book, the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John (otherwise known as “Revelation”) is the last book of our Bible. Perhaps, just perhaps, it may be God’s way of hinting to us that Revelation supersedes all that comes before it; not so much its content, but that Revelation itself should be what we pray for. Blessed are we if we receive Revelation from the Eternal manifestation of our Lord.
So, how do we followers of Christ say who Jesus is today? As Christians, we should be saying who Jesus is by the way in which we conduct ourselves. We should be emulating what we have learned and studied about our Lord Jesus. We are not to return evil for evil. We should do all we can to heal the sick and feed the hungry; and every now and then, finding a quiet place to pray, pray for revelation. Revelation may have been what Solomon was praying for in order to lead the Israelites, but we later understood it to be wisdom.
Any non Christian historian can write and publish about who he or she thinks Jesus was. But we as Christians must answer the all important question of who we say Jesus is (not was), by our belief in Jesus, not just what we have studied about him, but also benefiting from the Revelation of the Holy Spirit. We say what we believe and understand, by living out the two Commandments He gave us: to love God and to love our neighbor; understanding that all people are our neighbors.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: Proper 16 The Sunday closest to August 24, (BCP p. 232)
O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; Contemporary through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
onewhoponders 