A DECISIVE QUESTION
«And you, who do you say I am?» This question of Jesus isn’t directed just to his first followers. It’s the fundamental question that we who confess to be Christians always need to respond to.
Our first reaction could be to rapidly find a doctrinal answer and confess routinely that Jesus is the «incarnate Son of God», the «Redeemer» of the world, the «Savior» of humanity. All those very solemn and undoubtedly orthodox titles, but they could be pronounced without any vital content.
Jesus’ question doesn’t simply ask us our opinion. He’s challenging us, above all, concerning our attitude before him. And this doesn’t get reflected in our words, but above all in our concrete following of him. As some theologian has written: «The short proposition: “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God” signifies something completely distinct if Francis of Assisi pronounces it, or if one of the current South American dictators says it. The God of these latter isn’t the same, or at least isn’t the God that each one invokes to direct their conduct».
Jesus’ words ask for a radical option. Either Jesus for us is one more personality, along with many throughout history, or he’s the decisive Person who gives us the ultimate understanding of existence, gives the decisive orientation to our life and offers us definitive hope.
The question «who do you say I am?» therefore covers a new content. It’s no longer a question about Jesus, but about ourselves. Who am I? In whom do I believe? From where do I orient my existence? What’s the bottom line of my faith?
We all need to remember over and over again that faith isn’t identified with the formulas we pronounce. To understand better the reach of «what I believe», it’s necessary to verify how I live, what do I aspire to, to what am I committed.
That’s why Jesus’ question, more than an exam about our orthodoxy, ought to be that call to a Christian style of life. Evidently it’s not about saying or believing just any old thing about Christ. Nor is it making solemn professions of orthodox faith, and then going on to live very far from the spirit that that same proclamation of faith demands and carries within it.
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
