The Homily of Father Jose

September 12, 2021  -  Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel Christ asked His Apostles to tell Him who they think He really is. St. Mark wrote: Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples,” Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.”

Christ asked this question to have His disciples give some serious thought to who they thought He was. He also took the opportunity to teach them what was going to happen to Him – to teach them what kind of a Messiah He was going to be for them, and what He had to endure in order to fulfill the mission His Father in heaven had given Him.

Christ also wanted them to realize for themselves who and what He was. St. Mark reports this episode to confront you and me, two thousand years later, with the same question that confronted our Blessed Lord’s disciples back then.

Just who do you think Jesus is for you now? Is He just an interesting historical figure? A nice guy among a lot of other nice guys who have started religions? Is He, as the Muslims say, a great prophet? Is He one among many in a long line of Jewish rabbis?

Jesus is God the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, made incarnate, made human flesh and blood for us so we can encounter Him in His Mystical Body, the Church. Christ comes to us following His resurrection in the seven sacraments of our Church and that God is especially present to us and within us in Holy Communion. Who is Jesus Christ for you? Who do YOU think He is? Peter and the other disciples gave their answers. What is your answer to His question?