This material was first published by Redemptorist Publications
and is included here with their permission.

Matthew 16:13-20
Who are you, Lord?

Lord I hear your voice still asking the question “who do people say I am?” and I know there are so many different answers. For some you are a great teacher and healer; for some you are one of the many prophets but your mission failed on the cross. Some people aren’t convinced you ever existed and still others just don’t seem to care one way or the other.

Lord I hear your voice still asking me the question: “but who do you say that I am?” and I wish I was more like Peter. With his usual energy and passion he jumps in with a blaze of inspired faith: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”. I’m one of the ones who hangs back a little. Sometimes I am sure but it seems to me that a lot of the time I’m not so convinced. I know that believing in you as the Son of God makes demands of me, demands I’m not sure I’m ready yet to face. Believing in you is not the easy option, Lord, you yourself have told us that. But once that seed of faith is planted in our hearts it has a life of its own and whether we try to uproot it or to nurture it, we certainly can’t ignore it.

And another thing, if we declare our faith in you as the Son of the living God, unlike Peter, we are not ordered to keep quiet about it.

Prayer:
Lord, we do believe that you are the Son of God, help our unbelief. Through the grace of your Holy Spirit, give us the wisdom and courage to live in the light of our faith so that others may know that you are alive and among us today.  Amen.