Mt 16,13-19
Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.
Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty.
Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: See Jesus meeting Peter.
Ask for the fruit of meditation: about the desire to meet Jesus as I am
- Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
Jesus is curious how people see him and who they think he is. This curiosity may seem very natural. However, it takes courage to ask such a question. Jesus might have heard various things about himself, not necessarily all pleasant and easy to accept. He wants to meet every human being, no matter who that person thinks he is. We know from various passages of the gospel that even his disciples, considering him their Teacher, they had difficulty trusting him, believing what he said, he promised. As if the mere experience of having a relationship with him, of experiencing an encounter with him, is not enough to believe that he is the Messiah. Believe, not just know. Knowledge, although helpful, is not enough to build a close relationship. And this is the relationship that Jesus wants with each of us.Probably if you had heard the question today from Jesus: who do you think I am, you would have answered similarly to Peter. But do you believe he is the Messiah? Who do you consider Jesus to be, not on the level of your knowledge, but on your inner feeling, experiencing a relationship with him?
2. Simon Peter
Today, on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, I invite you to look at Peter. We know that Peter became the first pope, Jesus gave him authority: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Peter was a fisherman, he was also a man of self-confidence and great ideals. He had various contradictions within him that we can call internal conflicts. He has the courage to walk on water, and then he melts. He does not want Jesus to wash his feet and then he wants to be completely bathed by him. He declares that even if he had to die with Jesus, he would not deny him, and immediately after that he denies him three times. In all of this and with of all this, Peter is with Jesus all the time, meets him, allows him to touch himself, to touch these difficult, conflicted places. Therefore, it did not have to be easy for Peter to touch, confront himself, perhaps he felt ashamed, he wanted to run away. Jesus accepted Peter as he was, loved him. Peter endured these difficult moments and thanks to this a transformation could take place in him.How is it with you? How do you allow yourself to be met, touched by Jesus?
Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.
The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)