Peter’s confession about Jesus

WHEN Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” REFLECTION YOU ARE PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK. Peter may be indecisive and inconstant, but he is also very open to God’s promptings so that he is able to know Jesus in a most profound way. His profession of faith in Jesus is so solid that Jesus declares him the “rock” (Cephas) upon which Jesus will build his Church and to whom Jesus will give the keys of the Kingdom. Peter is not perfect, not totally solid as a rock — in fact, he will buckle under pressure — but he has the potential for dependability that Jesus sees in him, and this is enough to make him “Cephas.”

God knows we are not perfect. Yet, God calls us to undertake certain tasks in the Church. God gives us power and strength to overcome our frailties, our weaknesses. Our work is to focus on this gift and make the most of it. We may rise and fall in the process, but as long as we keep our focus and hold on to Jesus, we can grow into more solid and dependable co-workers in God’s vineyard. As Paul reminds us, “We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us” (2 Cor 4:7).