The essence of examination is not only to test the students’ understanding of learned material, but to help them grow in their knowledge. And a teacher will always identify a good student from the way he/she approaches the question and from his/her answer. As a way of strengthening the students’ knowledge and impacting their lives, a good teacher always reveals the answers to the questions, after the examination, because knowledge has a transforming power.
The Question for Us Christians
The most critical question to be asked of a Christian, in order to strengthen his/her relationship to Jesus is what we heard in the Gospel. “Who do you say that I am?” This is one of the most difficult questions Jesus asked his disciples. He wanted to evaluate their level of discipleship and to help them to grow. All the teachings, healings, exorcisms, and miracles of raising a 12-year-old girl from the dead and of calming the storm were preparation for this particular question. And when did he ask them the question?
The Moment of Question
Matthew and Mark said that Jesus and his disciples were traveling to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon near the water source of the Jordan River about twenty-five miles north of Lake Galilee. Caesarea Philippi was a city of Greco-Roman culture. Some suggest that Jesus took his disciples to such a pagan territory, outside Jewish region, because he was seeking a place of seclusion and solitude. In today’s Gospel, Luke tells us that Jesus was praying and his disciples were with him, and he asked them the two questions, namely: “Who do people say that I am?” Upon their answer, he asked them another question pointblank, “Who do you say that I am?”
The Help of Self- reflection
When we consider the timing and moment for the question, we may understand the lesson, Jesus is trying to give here. For Jesus, it is important to always ask and answer the question “who is Jesus for me,” especially by taking time off for reflection and meditation or during private moments of prayers. As it was with the disciples, reading about Jesus in the Bible or searching about him on Google or even reading about the experiences of others can help us grow in our knowledge of him. However, the quiet moment is meant to help us to reflect and realize who Jesus is in our lives, how merciful he has been, how he has been guiding and protecting us, how he has surrendered us with so many blessings of life, of family, of Job, of faith, hope and charity, etc.
Our Answers and Their Consequences
The reflection is meant to help us evaluate our following of the master and to arrive at the proper answer, because our daily answers should correspond with our lives. Thus, in his book, Jesus is the Question, Martin B. Copenhaver notes that, “This question demands not so much the insight of your mind as the allegiance of your life.” (p.106). Thus, he further comments that our answers have some real consequences for our lives. If I think that Jesus is a teacher, what would it mean to live as his student? If I think that he is the one who makes peace possible in the world, how can I live in his peace?
Just as Peter’s answer helped to prepare the disciples for moments of faith-crisis (namely, the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus) so it is with us. Our answers are meant to strengthen us for moments of temptations and life challenges and to help us to stand firm. This is true because, it was after this answer that Jesus revealed his life purpose to the disciples, namely his death and resurrection. May our daily answers help us to understand deeply what following Jesus means, as against the worldly expectations. May St Vincent de Paul intercede for us.
