QUESTIONS: there are all kinds of them, they are countless.
There are short questions, easy; others are intricate, or vague.
Some are intriguing, others are disturbing, they make us feel uncomfortable.
People ask us questions, of course.
Life also asks questions of us, often difficult questions.
And even… God asks us questions!
This started long ago – we see it happening in the very beginning of the Bible where God asks Adam where he is hiding! (Genesis 3:9).
Throughout the books of the Bible, different people are confronted with this questioning from God.
The prophets are often the interpreters to their people of God’s questions.
Today’s gospel text shows us Jesus asking a very important question indeed (Matthew 16:13-20).
He asks his apostles:
“What about you? Who do you say I am?”
If we move from the first to the twenty-first century where we find ourselves and…
If we listen to this very question now addressed to us…
What will we answer?
Not repeating Peter’s answer, but giving our own very personal reply to Jesus…
Some people reading this text will think: ‘It all depends…’
Very true! It all depends what kind of relationship we are having with God.
For us, is God a distant deity, far above, or far away, who has little to do – we think – with our daily life and experience?
Do we know little about who he is, apart from acknowledging his greatness and power?
Or, do we perceive him – mysteriously, perhaps – as close and concerned about us, always ready to come to our help?
God’s questions are always meant to help us discern the way to a better life, a deeper freedom, a more meaningful existence.
And, we should be convinced that, with God, there are no bad answer, no reply that is wrong.
All our answers – even the most inadequate or incomplete – will be received by him who accepts us as we are!
But, of course, we have to listen to him to hear him speaking to us…
For his part, he will wait, and wait, for our answers…
Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/21e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/