are Elijah; and still others, that you are one of the prophets of old, risen from the dead.”
Again Jesus asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of
God.” Then Jesus spoke to them, giving them strict orders not to tell this to anyone. And he
added, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the elders and chief
priests and teachers of the law, and be put to death. Then after three days he will be raised
to life.”
Reflect:
Looks like everybody needs appreciation and affirmation, even the Son of God! It is heartening
to realize that Jesus cared for what his own friends/brothers/disciples thought of him. We also
find God, the Father, affirming the Son at crucial moments of his life. Now we have Peter, on
behalf of his disciples (and the Church) responding with the same affirmation, which Jesus
recognizes as coming from his own Father. Jesus needed this affirmation, as much for himself
as for the disciples, before he would reveal the destiny of the Paschal Mystery that awaited him.
An intervention method currently popular among companies and organizations is “appreciative
inquiry” which seeks to affirm what is good, positive, and constructive in people and seek to build
on them. How wonderful and healing would it be, if we could apply similar dynamics to our
everyday life, to affirm and appreciate those with whom we share our life, whom we normally
tend to take for granted!
© Copyright Bible Diary 2022