Once while on the way to Caesarea Philippi Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
Then he asked, "But you, who do you say I am?"
Simon Peter spoke up and said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."Matthew 16: 13-16
Very early in the public ministry of Jesus, his teaching and actions galvanized opinions about him. Everyone who heard about him began to ask who he was and what he was all about. Jesus himself understood the importance of taking a stand on this issue, so after his disciples had been with him for a while he posed the challenging question to them, "Who do you say that I am?"
Peter, who would be remembered for his impulsiveness, was quick to answer: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." But Peter's answer was not an impulsive one. No doubt Peter and the others who had become followers of Jesus, and who had listened to his words and saw the miracles he worked, had thought long and hard about who he was. Peter had already worked the matter out in his mind when he was confronted with Jesus' question.
Peter's answer was the Church's first profession of faith. Peter, drawing on his background, affirmed that Jesus was the Anointed One of God. Peter did not yet understand the far-reaching implications of this profession of faith. But it represented for him an unconditional commitment to Jesus. He knew that Jesus was different from everyone else because he was from God. He knew that he could not commit himself casually to Jesus. Once he made his profession of faith, he could not turn back.
This is not to say that he ceased to be poor, impulsive Peter. He would yet commit the grievous offense of denying Jesus in his final confrontation with the authorities on Passover night. But with all his imperfections Peter would be the rock, the foundation on which the believing community would be built. He and the other disciples are our fathers in faith, because they were eyewitnesses to Jesus' ministry, to his reaching out to the lowly and the sinner, to his confronting the powerful and the hypocritical, to his teaching and miracles, and most importantly to his death and resurrection. And after they had seen and heard it all, the held fast to him in faith.
Peter and the others are models for our faith. Their commitment was to follow Jesus without reserve, to live not for themselves, but for him, to follow not their own desires and impulses, but his will. Like them, may we respond to Jesus' challenge by saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Lord Jesus Christ, we worship you as the Christ, the Son of the living God. As you followed your Father's will even to the point of laying down your life for our salvation, strengthen us in faith that we may follow you in all things and be united with you in the kingdom of heaven.