August 2023

What a pity that we so rarely, I think, ask ourselves this question today; who is Jesus Christ to me? If we thought about it more often, our lives would look different.

Sometimes a provocation is needed to ask such questions. Jesus did it directly. First, He asked about popular opinions, about the so-called human talk. You can clearly see how superficial and unreliable it is. People are always looking for sensation. If a gossip is fancier and less plausible, the more it listens and spreads more easily. This is probably not a coincidence. In this way, by means of basically absurd slander, we release ourselves from responsibility, or at least from a more serious discussion and our own thoughts. It is an easy and cheap way to justify your thoughtlessness, carelessness, stupidity and sins.

Therefore, a mature and wise man never stops at hurdles and human opinions, but tries to form his own opinion and judgement, at least in the most important life issues. There is enough data for that. The apostles were especially competent to give a credible answer to the question of the identity of Jesus: they stayed with Him constantly, listened not only to the instructions for the crowds, but also to the explanations for the initiates, they saw and knew more than others. And here’s Simon’s correct answer. But it was not just the result of human observation and deduction. Simon’s statement was a confession of faith having its source in God. This fundamental belief was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Simon said this without being fully aware of what he was saying. He uttered the formula without fully understanding of its meaning. In fact, we’ll never fully understand it. We are limited in understanding, but all the more we can and should trust in our faith. Simon, and then Peter, is the embodiment of this faith, he is the rock to which the Church constantly refers, because God Himself gave Peter this function.

But then should we appeal to this confession, since it is not our own, since it can only be regarded as someone else’s opinion? Isn’t the uncritical repetition of Peter’s sentence also the reproduction of gossip and human talk? It’s just that it shouldn’t be. We would refer not only to the repetition of words from 2000 years ago, but that we explore these words, look for their meaning – first original, and then modern, related to our lives. This process of seeking understanding is also inspired by the Holy Spirit. And it is He who guarantees us the credibility of our knowledge, and the Church watches over us so that we do not go astray.

The Apostles, staying in a boat in the middle of the lake certainly didn’t expect to witness an unusual phenomenon. Behold, as it was beginning to down, they saw in the distance the figure of a man who was walking towards them on the water. Terrified, they began to scream, but then they heard the voice of the Master: Do not be afraid!

In our lives, such a situation may never happen, but it often happens that we too have a problem with recognizing God who comes to us. Without looking far, we can ask ourselves: Do I see God’s presence in the Sacred Scripture and in the Eucharist? Do I see Him in my problems and difficulties, as well as in other people? It is a presence so discreet that we may not even notice it. It is said that modern man has lost the sense of the sacred, sanctity. But without God, we won’t get far. There will always be some “water” to be crossed, and then human calculations will be useless. The only strength capable of overcoming even the greatest difficulties is faith and trust in God.

As long as Peter looked into Jesus’ eyes and trusted Him, he walked on the water, but as soon as he looked away from Him and began to analyze his situation, he began to sink.

The Bible teaches that nothing is impossible for God. Perhaps for this reason, He demands difficult and demanding things from us, because contrary to our feelings, He never leaves us alone. He always extends His helping hand to us and rushes to our rescue.