Who do you say I am?
The nature of the Son of Man raises so many questions, and each of these questions seem to birth a whole new batch.
I’ve read about it, written essays about it, and am currently undertaking a course on it with Te Kupenga, the Catholic Theological College. I am desperately trying to find an answer to Jesus’s question that isn’t heretical and actually makes sense, really I am.
There are many great aspects to the Catholic Church, and one of them is the rigour with which Catholic scholars have discussed and pondered the enormous questions of Theology and Christology for 2,000 years. The magisterium does it so that we don’t have to. So, being Catholic, I can calmly walk to my bookshelf, take my Catechism from its place, and look at the answers supplied by some of the most educated and spiritual people in history.
Unfortunately, I find it is several pages long and you can still tie yourself into knots trying to understand it. True God and True Man. Yes, but how? What? Why? Argh!
The nature of Jesus Christ, this perfectly human and divine person whom we follow, is part of his glorious mystery. Perhaps I should simply go along with the beautifully succinct answer that was given to Jesus when he first asked Simon Peter.
I will put the answer in my heart rather than my head. “You are the Christ,” he said, “the Son of the living God.”
Today's readings: Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm 137 Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20
Source: Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time
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