Who Is Jesus To You?
Introduction
The prophet Haggai exhorts the Jews after their return from the exile to give everything, even their silver and gold, for the reconstruction of the Temple. Then the living God will be present among them and he will give them peace.
Jesus asks each of us today, not what others say about him, but who he is for us and what he means to us. He directs the question personally to every individual believer. The answer he is waiting for does not consist in long declarations but the living response of our lives.
1 Reading: Haggai 2:1-9
In the second year of King Darius, on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: Tell this to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people: Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes? But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD, and take courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak, And take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work! For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts. This is the pact that I made with you when you came out of Egypt, And my spirit continues in your midst; do not fear! For thus says the LORD of hosts: One moment yet, a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come in, And I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. Mine is the silver and mine the gold, says the LORD of hosts. Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the LORD of hosts; And in this place I will give you peace, says the LORD of hosts!
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 43:1, 2, 3, 4
R. (5) Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Do me justice, O God, and fight my fight
against a faithless people;
from the deceitful and impious man rescue me. R.
For you, O God, are my strength.
Why do you keep me so far away?
Why must I go about in mourning,
with the enemy oppressing me? R.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling place. R.
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God! R.
Alleluia: Mark 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 9:18-22
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Commentary
The striking profession of faith in Jesus that Peter makes is different from its Matthean counterpart. As is typical of Luke, it occurs while Jesus is at prayer. When Jesus asks the disciples how people are identifying him, their answers are varied: John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. When asked about his own view, Peter answers, “The Messiah.”
Peter identifies Jesus as the promised Messiah, the one sent from God to deliver his people from further devastation. Peter does not go as far as Matthew in identifying him as the Son of God, but it is still a quantum leap forward. Of course, there were problems with seeing Christ as only the anointed (‘Christos’ in Greek). The term could take on some political sense, seeing Christ as a human liberator sent to deliver an oppressed people. But the truth is that, in a very distinct sense, he was the Messiah of Israel.
Our first reading today continues the hope-filled prophecy of Haggai. He continues to speak of the reconstruction of the temple and assures his people that its future glory will surpass that of the past. But the greatest gift to be given God’s people will be that of peace, a freedom from warfare and hostility, and most especially, a harmonious relationship with God.
The day will come when the temple will receive Christ himself, the anointed one, he who is the authentic temple of God, the temple in which God dwells uniquely.
Blessing
Jesus asks us today: Who am I to you? What do I mean to you? The answer we should give him is not only for religious reasons. Lord, you are everything to us. You are the meaning of our lives. May God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!