23 September 2022
Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Jesus asks His disciples who the crowds think He is. In other words He is asking them what they have heard regarding Him. They make their report, and then Jesus asks, “But who do you say that I am?” to see who has been listening. Peter responds, “The Christ of God.”
Peter has been listening. He is told to tell no one; why? Because “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him…It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me,” (John 6:44-45). It is not yet the time to proclaim the Christ to the people; now is the time for the people to listen to the Father, to discern in their hearts what the Spirit of God is helping them to see. For anyone who is living the Law, who has prepared for the coming of the Lord by repenting of their sins, those whose heart is clean, shall see Him, shall know Him to be the Messiah, as did Peter.
And so Jesus turns to you, and asks as He asked His friends, “Who do you say that I am?”