THE DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA OF SAINT MARY MAJOR (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

Peter and the other disciples had spent enough time with Jesus to know there was something special about him. He taught in a way that nobody else did; he worked miracles; he even called God his “Father.” So they hoped that he might be the Messiah. But Peter went a step further and said it out loud. And he didn’t identify Jesus only as Messiah—he proclaimed him as the Son of God! Peter’s confession didn’t come from his “flesh and blood” experience; it came by revelation (Matthew 16:17). It came from God.

Like Peter, we can know a lot about Jesus: what he said, what he did, and how he prayed. We can draw reasonable conclusions from all of this that Jesus must be more than just a man. We can even be inspired by other people’s stories of faith in him. But to come to our own personal faith in Jesus, we need more than just reason or logic, hearsay or feelings. We need revelation—revelation from God.

Only God can lead us beyond our limitations to faith in Christ. The Catechism puts it this way:

There is another order of knowledge, which man cannot possibly arrive at by his own powers: the order of divine Revelation. Through an utterly free decision, God has revealed himself and given himself to man . . . by sending us his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. (CCC, 50)

How amazing that the infinite God has made himself knowable in Jesus! Even more, he has given us the Spirit to enlighten our hearts so we can recognize that Jesus is the Son of God—just as Peter did.

Everything you have learned and experienced in your journey of faith has created fertile soil within you. And each day, your relationship with Jesus can grow as the Spirit makes Jesus more real to you. All it takes is time and an open, teachable heart. So reread today’s passage and ask yourself, “Who do I say that Jesus is?” Invite the Spirit to search your heart and strengthen the faith that’s already there. Ask him to show you who Jesus is—more and more each day.

“Jesus, reveal yourself to me.”

Numbers 20:1-13
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
Matthew 16:13-23

WORD AMONG US