No Truth in You

Today’s Gospel Text: Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men." Matt 16:13-23

Reflection:  When you are teaching a child, do you understand the logic behind teaching a child through questions? Is it not better to teach a child straight away rather than ask the child a question?

What do we say about the a similar situation in today’s gospel passage; why does Jesus ask the disciple at Caesarea Philippi those questions? He could have told the disciples straight away, what men think about him and who he really is.

It is in learning through questions and finding and discovering that we learn much.  Hence in school we had much of our learning through questions.

Questions help us to reason, as if we have an innate ability to arrive at the truth. It is as if the truth is in us to be discovered and believed.

Yet as humans we need to keep this upper most in our mind, in all humility, that even though by chance we may sometimes hit the right button BUT the truth is not in us, so as to arrive at it with the right question in place. 

In this gospel encounter we see this markedly brought out; the crowd is totally on a wild goose chase, when each one identifies Jesus variously. 

When it comes to the Apostle Peter, he is the only one who is able to answer who Jesus is, perfectly; "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  And yet the truth was never in him, but Simon Peter discovers it because he was somewhere attuned to the Father’s Spirit at work in him. 

Jesus acknowledges it by saying; "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be daily attuned to your Holy Spirit, so as to discover you anew and grow in your love and service.

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