WHO DO THE CROWDS SAY THAT I AM?

Qo 3,1-11 ; Ps 143; Lk 9,18-22
28 SEPTEMBER
The crowds are like sheep without a shepherd, abandoned to the wind of the many words that float in the air and reach their ears. St. Paul in the Letter to the Ephesians speaks of the wind of doctrines. These winds always toss the man from falsehood to falsehood.

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body’s growth and builds itself up in love (Eph 4,11-16).

The Lord had already revealed this truth. When a people is not formed – and who must form it is the priest – it perishes because it is consumed by falsehood.

Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel, for the Lord has a grievance against the inhabitants of the land: There is no fidelity, no mercy, no knowledge of God in the land. False swearing, lying, murder, stealing and adultery! in their lawlessness, bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, and everything that dwells in it languishes: The beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and even the fish of the sea perish. But let no one protest, let no one complain; with you is my grievance, O priests! You shall stumble in the day, and the prophets shall stumble with you at night; I will destroy your mother. My people perish for want of knowledge! Since you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from my priesthood; Since you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your sons. One and all they sin against me, exchanging their glory for shame. They feed on the sin of my people, and are greedy for their guilt. The priests shall fare no better than the people: I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds. They shall eat but not be satisfied, they shall play the harlot but not increase, Because they have abandoned the Lord (Hos 4,1-10).

However, the crowds know that there will be a liberator for them. But they all ignore about the Law and the Prophets. Peter, by motion of the Holy Spirit, confesses that Jesus is the Christ of God. He too, like all the people, lives of great ignorance on the truth of the Lord’s Messiah. He does not know that He will have to go through the great suffering, the great rejection of his people and death by crucifixion. From this moment on Jesus begins to prepare his disciples so that they will not be overwhelmed by the scandal of his Cross. From today on He reveals himself as the Just Suffering, as the Servant of the Lord of Isaiah’s prophecy. Going from a glorious and victorious Messiah to the enemies of God’s people, to a Messiah killed by the Lord’s own people, the need for a true conversion of heart and mind. This is the most difficult conversion.

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.” He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Today the world is in great confusion. It no longer knows who Jesus the Lord is. In some way every priest is responsible for such a great uncertainty and confusion. A true conversion to Christ Crucified is urgent. A return to his most pure truth is urgent. Christ the Lord cannot be confused with any other man, either great or small, either rich or poor. He alone is the Messiah of God and He alone is the Saviour.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, convert Christians to the purest truth of Christ Crucified.