Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Sebio Manangbao SVD – Sabangan, Mountain Province
Friday 25th Week in Ordinary Time
But “who do you say that I am?” Jesus asked his disciples. It is a central and most demanding question asked of every follower of Christ, for the answer shapes our daily lives, and clarifies not only who Jesus is but also who we are. If, like Peter, we too proclaim Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God, this acknowledgment radically alters our lives.
I can say that Jesus is everything to me. He is my hope, my mercy. He is the joy of my heart who never abandons me even when I abandon him. He never forgets me. I never forget him either. He is constantly present in my mind and my heart. Whatever I have to do, I know I cannot do it without him. Whenever I become anxious about anything, it is because I forget he is there, and does take care of everything, and will always take care of everything.
He doesn’t make my life easy, but he certainly fills it with hope, and deep, ineffable happiness. He puts into my heart a constant awareness of the sufferings of my brothers and sisters in the world, and his Spirit moves me to cry out constantly, “Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy!” He loves me, and I love him. In a world that is so unsure of itself, his word gives my life clear direction. Yes, Jesus is everything to me. (Father Emile Briere, EVERYTHING. And You, Who do you say I Am? Collected by Catherine de Vinck).
My creedal paper in theology entitled MY LORD AND MY GOD proved to be my strength and sustained me all the way, and I continue to acknowledge and proclaim him that way. One humbling experience I had in Kenya was when visiting a family, I heard the voice of an older woman telling her husband that the ‘man of God’ is outside their house. She was referring to me. From then on, I always make it my point to bring the ‘man of God’ image whenever and wherever I go around for my pastoral visits. In my life, I am still struggling to live this God-image.
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