Knowing Christ, Knowing Us

“And he asked them,
‘But who do you say that I am?’

Peter said to him in reply,
‘You are the Christ.’”

Mark 8:29

Have you ever had that experience after talking with someone or having gotten to know someone for sometime, you learn something about yourself or saw something in yourself you could not or did not see before? That is the beauty of relationships. They are avenues that allow us to know others but also to know ourselves more deeply. We think we know ourselves until we encounter someone who challenges our way of thinking or mode of living. At those decisive moments we come to see ourselves in a more objective light, we come to see the truth about ourselves.

When Jesus asked what others said about Him, the disciples reported people thought He was Elijah or a prophet. Then Jesus asked them who they say that He is. Peter is the voice that we hear — “You are the Christ.” Peter speaks up first and he speaks on behalf of the others. Although this “primacy” of Peter is not explicitly described in Mark’s account, we see it clearly in Matthew’s. Peter spent three years with the Lord, day in and day out. He walked with Him, ate with Him, worshipped with Him, learned from Him, listened to Him, and spoke with Him. So, Peter had come to a deeper understanding and a more intimate knowledge of who Jesus was — not only was Jesus Peter’s Teacher, He was also His friend and brother. But Peter still did not fully understand Jesus.

After Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus speaks of His impending passion. Peter did not like it and he made it known. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Rebuke Him? What was Peter thinking? Peter was probably grieved at the fact that Jesus would undergo such humiliation and rejection. But as Jesus reminded him, he was thinking as humans think and not as God thinks. Peter has yet to understand that life knowing Jesus transcends the mundane. Peter did not yet understand that what was most important is the will of God and that preservation of one’s personal life was not. Yes, of course it is necessary to want to live and keep ourselves alive, but it must be put in the proper context and order. Hence, Jesus then told them the conditions of discipleship — you must deny yourself, carry your cross, and follow Him. Through this encounter, Peter came to understand so much not only about Jesus but also himself. He thought he understood Jesus, but he had only scratched the surface. He thought he knew himself, but came to see himself through the lens of humility and saw that he still had a lot he did not know about the life of a follower of Christ and his own commitment to that life. In coming to know Christ, Peter came to know himself.

Do we know Jesus? Or are we content with simply knowing about Him and following Him at a distance, only when it is convenient or beneficial? Do we really know ourselves or have we simply been living as the person we want others to see? If we come to know who Jesus is, we will slowly come to know who we are ourselves because it is in His image and likeness that we were created. Who else would know us better than the One who created us? Let us spend some time with Him today asking Him, “Who are You, Lord? Who am I?” and “Who are you calling me to be?”

Watch this week’s reflection below.

Called to be Simple

“Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity.”

Ephesians 5:15-16a

If someone describes you as “simple” or calls you “simple” or “simpleton,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps you would get upset because there’s an undertone of people regarding you as inferior or “slow” or unintelligent. However, Lady Wisdom as quoted in Proverbs, seems to give those who are simple a shout out, encouraging them to go to her. This reminds me of the Beatitudes, when Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are the meek.” Simple need not be a bad label, but rather a reminder; a reminder of our call to be humble, to seek first the Kingdom, and to forsake the worldly ambitious pursuits that will one day crumble into ruins.

We are called to forsake foolishness and to embrace wisdom. Foolishness is not exactly inferior academic prowess or unintelligence, but rather pursuit of things that we know will lead us away from God. Foolish things are those things we hold on to or spend our daily lives pursuing that promises pleasure or success in the eyes of the world. This is not to say pleasure and success are evil. There is a time and place for that, but we must learn how to prioritize. Seek first the Kingdom. We must also not seek success or pleasure that is ungodly or unholy and whatever that is not from God we must avoid and remove from our lives. How do we know if something is unholy or not from God? The litmus test is whether it leads us to God or away from God. Does it give us a sense of peace or joy? Peace and joy is not the same as pleasure. Things that are from God endures and perdures even in the midst of trials and challenges. True joy and true peace remains in our hearts even when everything around us is seemingly bad or hopeless. Peace in the midst of storms tells us that Jesus is in the boat with us. Joy in the midst of sorrow tells us that our hope is in Jesus who has defeated sin and death. Those who are simple has peace and joy in their hearts because they know to whom they belong and for whom they live.

Brothers and sisters, we are called to be simple, to believe that God is faithful and that He truly provides, and that if we seek first the Kingdom everything else will fall in place and all that we need will be given to us when we need it and when we are ready to receive it. The simple are those who embrace the cross, and those who truly live as St. Paul said to the Galatians, “It is Christ who lives in me,” allow the Word of God to take flesh in their lives so that all that they do and say reflects the joy of the Gospel, the love of Christ, and the mercy of God. May we strive to cast off the foolishness that occupies our minds and hearts and allow the wisdom of God to reign in our hearts.

Sensible Mystery

“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.”

John 6:47-48

Have you ever came across something and asked yourself “Wait. What?” Perhaps when Jesus said that He was the bread of life, believers and non-believers responded in a similar way, “Wait. What does that mean?” But, can you blame them? Even the disciples were not exactly sure what Jesus meant and stopped following Him. However, if you listen closely to Jesus, He explains what He means, and if you know the Scriptures, you might come to slowly understand what He might be saying. In the past, the people ate bread that left them hungry — physically and spiritually — but that bread that He now brings and gives, Himself, will leave them satisfied. Not only that, but this bread, even in death, will enable them to live. “Wait. What?!”

The Catholic Church in the United States is in the midst of a three-year “Eucharistic Revival” with the intention to stir up in the hearts of the faithful once again what the disciples on the Road to Emmaus felt — a sense of burning, burning with love and joy and excitement. Why? Because Jesus was in their midst. And, Jesus is in our midst today. Jesus said that He is the bread of life, and that this bread is His “flesh for the life of the world.” This bread that is taken, blessed, broken, and given is Jesus Christ Himself. The ineffable mystery and greatest love story ever told that is re-presented at every Mass on the altar, is Jesus Himself. I am the bread of life. Do you believe?

When the priest says those words of consecration and when he calls down the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of Jesus. It becomes the flesh of the life of the world. It becomes the bread of life that gives us eternal life. A mystery that no eye can perceive, but can be felt and experienced by the heart. Only an encounter with the Lord and an openness to His love can enable us to experience this mystery of love. With that being said, it means that one must have a relationship with Jesus in order for them to slowly and gradually come to faith. The truth and fact that the Eucharist is Jesus’s body, blood, soul, and divinity never changes. The bread that is consecrated becomes Jesus — this never changes, even if you do not believe. The real presence is a truth, but sadly many people, even baptized Catholics do not believe this. This does not make the Eucharist any less real. Just because people do not believe in God does not negate the fact that He exists. So, for those who do not believe, the question is not whether the Eucharist is truly Jesus or not; the question one must ask him or herself is “If Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, why does my heart not burn in His presence?” And then ask Jesus, “Why do I not believe that You are present in the Eucharist?” This will open up a relationship with the Lord. Trust that He will speak to you. Keep asking. Keep speaking. Keep listening. He will come to you. This mystery will one day become the perceptible reality that it is to you if you keep talking with Jesus. With your eyes closed, in the quiet of your heart you will hear Jesus say, “I am the bread of life given for you” and when you open your eyes, you will feel in your heart that burning love that is God. Then, that “Wait. What?” will come not from a place of confusion or doubt, but rather a place of gratitude: “Wait. What? God loves me that much?” Yes, yes, He does. He really does.

Watch this week’s reflection below.