But, Who Do You Say That I Am?

This is a question that is posed by Jesus to His disciples found in the sixteenth chapter of Saint Matthew’s Gospel. The disciples just finished telling Him who the people say that He is “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” It is Simon Peter who clearly declares “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter, who is to be recognized as the first in a long line of popes, makes this pronouncement that is the basis of all the Church’s magisterium – the identity of Our Lord as the true God and true man. If we do not get the identity of Jesus right, we cannot understand anything.
 
Jesus, in response to Peter’s confession of faith makes this amazing statement, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.  And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.”
 
This teaching of Jesus, shows clearly the role of Peter and his successors, those who will exercise the Petrine ministry, the popes of every age. They become the rock on which the Church is built. Their teaching and their witness proclaim who Jesus Christ is and the power of His redemptive work of dying on the Cross and his Resurrection on the third day. The saving sacrifice of Christ is made present in every age by the celebration of the Sacrament and most especially, the Eucharistic Sacrifice at every Mass. This redeeming power of Jesus made present in the Church is the power of the infinite love and mercy of God for all people.
 
We have witnessed this proclamation of the redemptive work of Christ in the very first words proclaimed by the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV as he appeared on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica on the day of his election and announced, “The peace of the Risen Lord be with you!”  He affirmed the ancient faith of the Church beginning with Saint Peter and the apostles – Jesus Christ who died on the Cross is risen and remains with us.   Pope Leo, as does every pope, possesses the power of the keys to unlock for us the mercy and love of Christ  and to proclaim the truth of our Faith so that we may all grow in our relationship with Him.
 
Dear friends, let us continue to pray for our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV that he may be graced and strengthened to proclaim to all, “You are the Christ, the Son of the loving God.”
 
Most Reverend William J., Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh