Peter's Confession,Pallikoodasa1stS,Oct.31,10

1st S,Pallikoodasa,Oct.31,10

(Mt:16:13-19)
When Pope John Paul II visited the U.S. in 1979, huge crowds followed him wherever he went. It was his first visit to the States. Before going to the White House, he said mass at St. Matthew’s Cathedral and had lunch with the Bishops and the Cardinals of the U.S. at the rectory. Large crowds were waiting outside the rectory. They were chanting: “John Paul II, we love you.” It was the first time that such a chanting was heard ever in a country and later these words would be reechoed in all the cities and countries he visited. The Holy Father came to the balcony of the rectory and then greeted the crowd by saying, “ John Paul II , he loves you.” There was a thunderous ovation. Why was there so much joy? Why was there such a huge crowd? Was it for the person of John Paul II as an individual or for him as the successor of St. Peter? It was for the successor of St. Peter, undoubtedly. Peter is the foundation on which the Lord built up His Church, his community of believers.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus clearly and unambiguously speaks about the foundation of the Church.

Look at the way Peter responded to the question of Jesus. Jesus wanted to find out from the Apostles what people were thinking about Him and what they were thinking. They, then, gave the different views the people had about Jesus. Then he asked them about their opinion. Without any doubt or vacillation of mind, Peter spoke what came out in his mind that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God.

We cannot imagine the courage and the boldness it took for a Jew to pronounce the name of God. Here, Peter was saying something that no Jew would ever utter in his life that the person standing before him was the Son of the living God. Jesus understood the nature of Peter’s faith. Jesus also knew that Peter was guided by the Spirit of God to proclaim the His Divine nature in such unambiguous terms.

The response of Jesus was also staggering. This illiterate fisherman was made the foundation of the Church and given the power to let loose or lock the flow of grace into human lives.
Peter is the Rock and upon this Rock, Jesus will build His church.
This is an appropriate moment for all of us to reflect on the implications of this statement and understand the true meaning of the Church. We are the flock of Christ, the people of God, the community of believers in Christ who are firmly established on Peter and his successors. This is the uniqueness of the Catholic Church and makes it different from other denominations.

Many a time, people try to water down the importance of this statement and make it appear that all denominations have equal validity. The foundation on the Rock of Peter is the most distinctive characteristic of the true community of believers.

We have to ask ourselves whether we are true members of the community and whether we keep in our hearts and actions this sense of unity. If our words and actions cause divisions and fragmentations within the Church, can we remain his true disciples? Do we respect the authority of Peter and his successors?

These are days when the forces of secularism are vehement in their attacks on the Church. Religious doctrines are watered down and moral laws are ignored. Convenience and selfishness become the norms of life. Anything that is obscene and immoral is accepted and given importance because of a false notion of the freedom of speech. There is a growing drumbeat against holding on to religious values in one’s public life.

It is at a time like this that we have to become more aware of our relations with Jesus and the Church. We cannot ignore the force and power of this secular spirit of the age in which we live.

We have to communicate the true sense of the Church to those who live with us at home and to those who work with us in our working places.
It is also a good time for us to reflect on our commitment to Christ. Jesus is asking each one of us what we think of Him. Do we really believe that He is the Son of God? If we really believe that He is the Son of God, then, all of our ideas and attitudes on life will definitely undergo great changes. Tue followers of Christ can never be selfish, arrogant, boastful and hateful. There should be a great desire to forgive, to reach out and to come to the aid of the poor.
As Mother Teresa has said, alone we can do nothing, but with Jesus, we can do a lot of things. Today, we shall join with all our fellow brethren in faith and walk along the path of holiness, offering the Gospel of love, forgiveness, compassion and of mercy to all around us.