24 August 2014
Homily of the Apostolic Nuncio
His Grace Archbishop Petar Rajič
Is 22:19-23; Rom 11:33-36; Mt 16:13-20
Is it possible today to believe in Jesus, the Son of God? A similar question arises from today’s passage in the gospel where Jesus asks his disciples: Who do you say that I am? For over twenty centuries Jesus has been asking this same question to all those who approach him and he expects them to answer. He does not want to hear the common replies but instead the personal response of individuals, which comes forth upon reflection, from the heart and mind of every man and woman.
The response of faith is a personal response and decision of every individual who believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. When with our heart and mind we confess “I believe” then this is a personal response that comes forth from an inner conviction that all that Christ taught and spoke is true. Though our faith is a personal response to the Lord Jesus, it is also at the same time a common response of the community of believers, which is the Church. We received our faith through the preaching and teaching of the Church. Hopefully our parents, catechists, priests, sisters and others have given an example for us of true belief in Christ, which can be an added incentive for us to accept the faith of the Church.
Yet this common faith of the Church must become the personal conviction of any individual who dares to call himself a believer. If Christ therefore were to ask you directly Who do you say that I am? how would you reply? Peter replied with words of great faith You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. May we too respond with words of faith in the divinity of Jesus, but even more importantly, may our lives become a living example of our belief in Christ the Lord. Then we too will experience the blessedness of believing in him and of being one of his followers, and others will see in us that indeed it is possible to believe in Jesus and to follow him today.
