Today’s readings really made me stop and think about what my relationship with Jesus actually means to me. The question in the Gospel is so simple, yet so personal: “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus was not asking His disciples what everyone else thought about Him. He wanted to know what they themselves believed. That same question is being asked of me today.
The first reading from Isaiah speaks about God placing His servant Eliakim in a position of responsibility and giving him the key to the House of David. To me, this is a reminder that God gives people responsibility for a reason. Leadership is not simply about having authority or being given a title. It is about being someone others can depend on. Eliakim was called to be a father to the people, which makes me think about the kind of person God is calling me to be in the lives of those around me.
What also stands out to me is that the authority ultimately comes from God. Sometimes we can become too focused on what we can achieve ourselves, but this reading reminds me that whatever position, opportunity or responsibility I have is something I should use with humility and for the good of others.
The Responsorial Psalm continues this beautiful theme with the words, “Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.” That line speaks to me personally because there have been times in my life when I have wondered where God was, especially during difficult periods. There were moments when I became angry, questioned Him and eventually walked away from my faith. Yet looking back now, I can see that God did not abandon me. His love remained, even when I could not recognize it. The Psalm reminds me that God hears us when we call and that His kindness does not disappear simply because we are struggling.
Then we come to St Paul’s words in Romans, where he reflects on the incredible depth of God’s wisdom and how impossible it is for us to fully understand His ways. This part really resonates with me because I have always wanted answers. When something painful happens, my natural reaction is to ask why. Why did this happen? Why did God allow it? Why did things not turn out differently?
But perhaps faith means accepting that I will not always have those answers. God sees the bigger picture when I can only see one small piece of it. I do not need to understand everything before I trust Him. Sometimes I simply have to surrender the questions and believe that His wisdom is greater than mine.
And then we arrive at the Gospel, which for me is the heart of today’s Mass. Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
I find this question particularly meaningful because it is not asking me what I learned about Jesus as a child or what the Church teaches about Him. It is asking me who I believe He is.
When I was younger, my image of Jesus was very positive. I saw Him as loving, kind, protective and someone I could trust. As I grew older and experienced more difficult things, my image changed. I became angry with God, questioned why He allowed certain things to happen and eventually turned away from Jesus and the Church for a period of my life.
But coming back to my faith has changed my understanding of Jesus completely. I now realize that Jesus was never the one who changed. I was. My pain changed how I saw Him. My struggles affected my ability to trust Him. Yet even when I walked away, He never walked away from me.
That is why the question “Who do you say I am?” feels very different to me today. I would answer Jesus by saying, You are my Lord, my guide, my strength and the One who never gave up on me. You are the One I can turn to when life is wonderful and when life is incredibly difficult. You are the One who continues to call me back, even when I lose my way.
I also love that Jesus gives Peter the keys and tells him that upon this rock He will build His Church. It reminds me that our faith is not meant to be something we keep completely to ourselves. We belong to a community. We are part of something bigger than our individual journeys.
That feels especially meaningful to me at this point in my own journey. Through Landings, I am discovering again that faith is not just about attending Mass or knowing Scripture. It is about relationships, belonging, honesty and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable enough to grow. It is about recognizing that every person sitting beside us has their own story, their own struggles and their own relationship with God.
Ultimately, today’s readings remind me that I do not need to have everything figured out. I do not need a perfect faith or a perfect story. I simply need to keep saying yes to Jesus and keep walking with Him.
So if Jesus asked me today, “Who do you say that I am?”, my answer would be simple.
You are the One I came back to. You are the One who never stopped waiting for me. And you are the One I want to keep walking with, one day at a time.
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Reflective question: What step will I take today to know and love Jesus a little more?
Today, I want to take a simple but meaningful step by spending a little quiet time with Jesus in prayer, rather than always rushing through my day. I want to speak to Him honestly, thank Him for bringing me back, and listen instead of always looking for answers. Jesus asks me who I believe He is, and I think the best way to know Him more is to actually spend time with Him.
For me, loving Jesus a little more today means trusting Him a little more, surrendering what I cannot control, and remembering that He has never stopped walking beside me.
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