Who do you say I am?

 

Who do you say I am? This is probably the most important question that Jesus asks his disciples. The responses they give look to compare him to someone else that they have heard about or are familiar with. They have heard the stories about the prophets from the past some may have witnessed the teaching of John the Baptist. It is only Peter who does not make this type of comparison but seeks to encounter Jesus in his divine nature. He is not just any person, but he is the fulfilment of the what the prophets taught.

So, in our own day how do we respond to the question Jesus asks of us. This is more than just familiarity but seeks us to encounter the person of Jesus as he is. This encounter calls us to listen to his teaching about what it is to discover the realm of God. We are called to discover how the Spirit of God unbinds us from what prevents us from seeing Jesus more clearly that we may be bound more intimately in the divine embrace of the Trinity.

When we look at how we encounter Jesus we can be left with different points of who it is that we meet. The word office is often used by a person who leads, and how this is applied to Peter not just as an apostle but as one who has been given the keys of the kingdom of heaven. When we reflect on this passage we are called to reflect on how he exercises his ministry. This is where we can see how Pope Leo as a successor of Peter a symbolic role in the life of the Church has more than just a titular role, but he is called to sanctify, teach and govern people. This threefold ministry is important in how we encounter Jesus in the life of the Church. We are called to be people who develop an intimate prayerful relationship with God. We learn to reflect on how that relationship guides our thinking and how we are known by God. Also, good governance should make the mission of Jesus more easily proclaimed in our own time.

St Paul notes this in his letter to the Romans, he seeks to plumb the depths of God and discover a wisdom that draws us deeper into that relationship. This is more than receiving desired outcomes where we can figure out what God wants. What St Paul stresses is that God will provide what is needed rather than us telling God what needs to happen. While we look at part of the puzzle God is all in all. We can start to see God’s hand at work in all things without making any one thing into God.

I remember reading a book by Paul Davis called “The Mind of God” where he sought to understand how we might encounter God. He made the bold statement that mathematics was the language with which God wrote the universe. This is not just about theoretical theories but an application of these theories to real life. As such we know that in any science it can open doors for us but there is also a certain artistry to life that can be captured moment by moment.

This is where we are called to notice the language that guides us to know Jesus as he is not just as we would have him be. Our way of encountering him unfolds his presence at the heart of our lives. This is not just learning to follow him out of what others say but a willingness to open ourselves to who he is for us and our community. The question that will shape our lives returns to the beginning when Jesus asks us who do you say I am. This will shape our whole life and the life of our community.

 

Do our prayers fall on deaf ears?

 

How often do we believe our prayers go unanswered or overlooked. We make heartfelt requests, but they seem to fall on silent ears. This is the situation presented by the Canaanite woman who makes an earnest prayer that her daughter may be released from the oppression of the devil. Yet Jesus seems not to hear her. The disciples even wanting to avoid a scene ask Jesus to provide what she is asking because she is making so much of a fuss.

When Jesus does give a response, he seems to focus solely on the people of Israel who are lost. Her plea only becomes more urgent when she falls at his feet and says help me. The response about throwing scraps at the house dog seems to be dismissive of her concerns. Yet still she pleads that even this small amount will help her.

What Jesus acknowledges is the faithful persistent of the Canaanite woman to seek out the good for her daughter. This can give hope to us too in bringing our lives before God. The emphasis here is that our prayer does not fall on deaf ears but seeks to provide healing and strength to those in greatest need. This is where our prayer changes us to be open to God’s mercy and love. Faithfulness in prayer can bring forth miracles of grace and healing for others.

So how do we become people of prayer. This is central to the concern of Isaiah when he says that we need to become a people of integrity who care for justice. Much of this concern is shared in the latest social justice statement from the Australian Catholic Bishops that centres on social cohesion and the things that can drive us apart from each other. It notes that we need to be aware of the profound impact on individuals, families and communities. It reminds that behind the statistics are parents skipping meals, delaying medical care, housing insecurity and increasing anxiety for the future. The burden is often taken up by those who are most vulnerable those on fixed incomes, people living with disabilities, first nations people, refugees, and workers on low paid or insecure employment. Central to the covenant that Isaiah speaks about is the need to recognise how we are formed in the image and likeness of God. We observe the sabbath and keep the covenant so that we can form a house of prayer for all people. This is not to isolate us from each other but a living concern for those who meet us in daily life.

The principles of the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, the universal destination of goods and the preferential option for the poor offer a moral framework for responding to the crisis. These principles call governments, businesses, communities and individuals to ensure that no one is left behind and that economic decisions serve people, not profit alone. Our Catholic agencies provide practical everyday assistance by providing emergency relief, housing assistance, financial advice and advocacy.

Practical actions are encouraged, including noticing those who may be struggling, offering practical help, volunteering, donating, engaging in advocacy for fair wages and affordable housing, and working collaboratively at local and national levels. Above all, the bishops invite us to become “prophets of hope” — people who respond to hardship with compassion, courage and faith.

As St Paul speaks to the Romans we seek to discover the reconciliation of the world from the dead. We are called to be people who are awake and aware of what the resurrection means. The resurrection of Jesus calls people from death into life. It is possible to become people who focus on the mercy of God. This is where our prayer changes us to be open to God’s mercy and love. We become engaged with the living heart of our faith. Faithfulness in prayer can bring forth miracles of grace and healing for others. Just as the Canaanite woman brought her concerns before God for the good of another so can we through our own intercession and providing for the needs of another. To be people who engage our minds, hands and hearts in seeking what is good for another not just ourselves.

 

Sailing into headwinds

 

We can often be caught up in the drama of many modern movies that have lots of action and intrigue. The story often unfolds that we become aware of the people we should care about and what they are trying to escape from. These introductions are important as they provide the groundwork for what follows. Without these introductions we would not feel any connection with the people who are pivotal to the story.

The sound of the gentle breeze convinces Elijah to step out of the cave. The handheld out by Jesus convinces Peter to hang on for dear life. The two stories parallel each other. Elijah had retreated into the mountains because he believed that his life may be in danger following the events on Mt Carmel. Peter believes that he may sink under the waves under the ferocity of the storm. Yet both discover that it is not in the storm, earthquake or wind that the power of God is evident but rather in the calm that follows these events. This is a question that engages us to have the courage to allow God to meet us in the storms of life. Often in our darkest night the light of Christ will shine!

So how do we place ourselves in the story. St Ignatius in his spiritual exercises introduces the form of prayer known as Imaginative Contemplation. This form of prayer follows a similar pattern to Lectio Divina that seeks to explore more deeply how we see the scripture touching our daily lives. This allows scripture to be more than just words written on a page but a Living Word that captures our mind, body and soul. The first step is to set the scene into which we are immersed. In the case of Elijah this is in a cold dank cave in the mountains for Peter it is in a fishing boat tossed about on the Lake of Galilee. Then we imagine what the characters look like and listen to the words they say. Our focus is allowing them to leap off the page and draw us into the unfolding drama. We are not just called to be passive observers but to notice what parts of the story most touch us today and how we become involved in the action.

The questions that seem to occur to me are what moves us deeper into prayer? Where do our lives become enmeshed in the story line. Do we pay attention to the spectacular effects of the storm or are we drawn to a quiet place. In our own lives we can be touched by events that seem to be out of control but then to whom do we turn?

We can be like St Paul speaking to the Romans where he says that even though he is in union with the Holy Spirit that is sorrow is so great and his mental anguish so endless that he is drawn to making difficult decisions. He is willing to be cut off from Christ if it would help others discover him. I don’t know if I would be able to say the same thing. Is our desire for the good of another willing to entrust everything to God.

So, there we are often caught up in the boat with Peter battling to make headway. They encounter Jesus in what they first think is an apparition or a ghost. They are terrified. Yet amid their fear Jesus reaffirms that they are to have courage and not be afraid. Then Peter says if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water. Jesus simply says come. When Peter keeps his eyes on Jesus, he can walk on water! Yet when he feels the force of the wind he starts to sink. Even then when Peter says save me Jesus stretches out his hand immediately. The wind drops and all is calm again.

Will we allow Jesus to meet us in our daily struggles and the times when we seem to be up against strong headwinds and violent storms?