Ceiling of Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul
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Matthew 16:13-20
Today’s feast [Sts. Peter and Paul] offers me the opportunity to meditate once again on Peter’s confession, the decisive moment in the journey of the disciples with Jesus. The synoptic gospels have it take place in the district of Caesarea Philippi (see Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-22).
John, for his part, keeps for us another important confession by Peter, after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and Jesus’ address in the synagogue of Capernaum (see John 6:66-70). Matthew, in the text just proclaimed, recalls Jesus’ attribution of the nickname Cephas, “Rock,” to Simon. Jesus said that he desired to build his Church “on this rock” and with this in view, conferred on Peter the power of the keys (Matthew 16:17-19). It clearly emerges from these accounts that Peter’s confession is inseparable from his pastoral duty to Christ’s flock which was entrusted to him.
According to all the Evangelists, Simon’s confession takes place at a crucial moment in Jesus’ life when, after preaching in Galilee, he resolutely set out for Jerusalem in order to bring his saving mission to completion with his death on the cross and his resurrection. The disciples were involved in this decision: Jesus invited them to make a choice that would bring them to distinguish themselves from the crowd so as to become the community of those who believed in him, his “family,” the beginning of the Church.
In fact, there are two ways of “seeing” and “knowing” Jesus: one—that of the crowd—is more superficial; the other—that of the disciples—more penetrating and genuine. With his twofold question—”What do the people say?” and “Who do you say that I am?”—Jesus invited the disciples to become aware of this different perspective.
The people thought that Jesus was a prophet. This was not wrong, but it does not suffice; it is inadequate. In fact, it was a matter of delving deep, of recognizing the uniqueness of the person of Jesus of Nazareth and his newness.
This is how it still is today: many people draw near to Jesus, as it were, from the outside. Great scholars recognize his spiritual and moral stature and his influence on human history, comparing him to Buddha, Confucius, Socrates, and other wise and important historical figures.
Yet they do not manage to recognize him in his uniqueness. What Jesus said to Philip at the Last Supper springs to mind: “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip?” (John 14:9).
Jesus is often also considered as one of the great founders of a religion from which everyone may take something in order to form his or her own conviction. Today, too, “people” have different opinions about Jesus, just as they did then. And as he did then, Jesus also repeats his question to us, his disciples today: “And who do you say that I am?”
Let us make Peter’s answer our own. According to the Gospel of Mark, he said: “You are the Christ” (8:29); in Luke, the affirmation is “The Christ of God” (9:20); in Matthew resounds, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:16); finally, in John: “You are the Holy One of God” (6:69). These are all correct answers, which are also right for us.
—Homily, June 29, 2007
Doubting Thomas’ confession and Jesus’responce is important. “A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’ (John 20:26-29).