We are all Peter

Jesus asks a lot of questions. Query was one of his favorite teaching tools. Today’s Gospel is a pivotal moment in his relationship with his disciples and a dramatic change in the trajectory of Simon Peters call.

Jesus asks the disciples two questions: first of all, he asks them who people say the Son of Man is, and they give him a variety of answers: “some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, yet others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets”. He then asks “who do you say I am”. It is Simon who answers without any hesitation: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”. Jesus responds: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church”. Matthew makes it clear that Peter did more than identify Jesus as the Christ; he also proclaimed Jesus’ Divine nature: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”.

Jesus knew what was on the disciples’ minds. The point of his questioning was to invite the disciples to consider their level of faith. He started with a more general question: “Who do people say I am” and he received several answers, but none of them the correct one. Jesus then asked the disciples a very direct question: “Who do you say I am?”. In other words, are you part of the crowd, part of the general consensus, or has your relationship with me revealed something more?

Peter who usually says what is on his mind before thinking it through, speaks from the heart. He affirms that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, and more than that, he is the Son of God. Jesus affirms the truth of Peter’s words. But more than that, he affirms his deep faith as something that he could not have come to himself, it has been revealed to him by God. Jesus follows this up by saying “you are Peter and on this rock, I will build my church”.

This is often understood as Peter being the first pope, and the church being the institution that has evolved over these 2000 years. There are different ways of understanding this and many theologians have questioned whether Jesus ever intended to start a church in the way that we understand that concept today. Early followers of Jesus didn’t even use the word “church” but referred to “the Way”, the way of living, the way of being a community, the way of trying as much as possible emulate Jesus in values and way of life. The Acts of the Apostles describe how small groups  of early Christians would come together, share what they had, take care of their community, and as Jesus had instructed at the Last Supper with his disciples, break bread and share wine, and know that he would be with them in that ritual. Those early communities were quite diverse in nature, though they held core values in common.  The Apostles, and later Paul and others, travelled, visited, wrote letters, and settled disputes and misunderstandings among those early followers of the way. All these years later, there is a wide variety of Christians denominations and within those denominations, different ways of being community, different music and liturgical styles, and different outreach, none holding the “whole truth”, all on a journey of faith, getting it right, getting it wrong, striving to understand more, and always starting over again. Within our own Anglican Diocese each parish community  has its distinct identity and expression, its gifts and its challenges.

Today, Jesus asks each one of us: “who do you say I am?” because in truth, we are all Peter. It is upon the rock of faith that communities form around the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. How this happens is described very clearly in Paul’s letter to the Romans: together we are the body of Christ, or in the words attached to a famous stature: “Christ has no body now but yours”.  One body and many gifts, and all of our individual gifts are given to us for the building up of the body of Christ in this time and place, and for the carrying out of the ministry that is assigned to us. We all know that we are stronger together: that none of us has all the gifts, but collectively we are given the gifts that are needed.

We are all Peter, and upon this rock of faith, the ministry of Jesus continues in this time, and in this place: in our caring for one another, in our welcome to all who come to this place, in our capacity to forgive each other, affirm each other and believe in the real presence of Jesus in each other. Above all, in our mission to be the presence of Christ in the world.

In the words of the Spanish mystic, Theresa of Avila:

         Christ has no body but yours,

         No hands, no feet on earth but yours.

         Yours are the eyes with which he looks

         compassion on this world.

         Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.

         Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.

         Yours are the hands; yours are the feet.

         Yours are the eyes; you are his body.

         Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

We are all Peter because we are the church, built on the rock of faith to be the Body of Christ on earth.  Amen.