By Naresh Namindla csc –
Readings: Ecl 3: 1-11; Lk 9:18-22
As the whole world is suffering from Covid-19 pandemic, the first reading gives us new hope for a corona-free period, though not immediately, but through patience.
The first reading states that there is time for everything in the world; time for happiness and for sadness. However, one needs to pay close attention to both these times, as it will help us know our relationship with God. Sometimes we may be close to God only when we are happy, or we may be close to God only when we are sad. But we need to learn to be close to God in both situations. This is possible only when we realize and understand our relationship with God. We need to know who God is to us or who Jesus Christ is for us. More personally, who is Jesus to me? This is what exactly the gospel invites us to discover.
Jesus chose a particular time (after his time in prayer) to ask his disciples, ‘what do people say that I am?’ More interestingly, Jesus asks his disciples, ‘who do you say that I am?’ Immediately Peter answered, “you are the messiah.” It was noticeably clear who Jesus was to Peter, and Jesus was delighted to hear Peter’s opinion. Peter’s faith in Jesus increased because he acknowledged who Jesus was for him. If Jesus were to come and ask each one of us the same question, what will our answer be? Am I ready to answer and acknowledge who Jesus is for me? Or do I need time to think? Let us examine ourselves on this question “who is Jesus for me, personally?”