By Jenny Koch
Connecting Creed and Life
Editor’s note: For 2025, the weekly Connecting Faith and Life column will be renamed Connecting Creed and Life. To celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year and the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the columns will consist of reflections on the Nicene Creed, corresponding with related paragraphs in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (CCC).
“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord” (CCC 441-445; 446-455).
In all three of the synoptic Gospels, we see a similar scene. Jesus asks his followers an important question, and we hear their answers. The Gospel of Matthew gives us the most detail:
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you say that I am. Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven’” (Matthew 16:13-19).
You could say that Peter was the teacher’s pet. He knew the exact answer. He got it right. However, a close study of his walk with Jesus also reveals that he is sinful and weak; just like us. The same man who walked on water denied Jesus three times. He was present at the Transfiguration, with Moses and Elijah, but when Jesus was taken to trial, he scurried with the others. Unlike teacher’s pets who can read ahead or search Google, the Catechism reminds us, “Peter could recognize the transcendent character of the Messiah’s divine sonship because Jesus had clearly allowed it to be so understood” (CCC 443). He gets it right because Jesus allowed it, and Peter’s confession still guides the Catholic Church and the papacy. Getting the right answer is the key. And Peter holds the keys.
In his book, “Jesus Shock,” Peter Kreeft describes ways to evangelize and understand our faith. But, he also warns that we must get the answer right before we pay attention to other details. “Mother Teresa was the most influential and admired Christian in the 20th century because she knew less than any other Christian did. Jesus was enough for her.” He also reminds us that, “When anyone attains true knowledge of God, whether his name is Peter or Paul or Augustine or Aquinas or Moses … that knowledge comes from Christ, the Logos, ‘the true light who enlightens every man who comes into the world.’ He is the one and only Sun of God; every other being in God’s Solar System is only a satellite, a planet, reflecting His light. The Solar System is a system only because it has a Center.” A wise priest recently reminded me that you can read one scholarly book after another, but if you don’t know Jesus, you are wasting your time. If you don’t spend time in scripture, allowing God to reveal himself to you, you may be spinning your wheels.
This Easter season, let us all strive to have the right answer. Jesus was not just a teacher. He was not just a prophet. We must rely on God to reveal the truth. He is the only Son of God, our Lord. As we participate in Mass, it might be helpful to focus on the centurion’s words, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” Like the centurion, we call him Lord. Like Peter, we know he is the only Son of God, but we also need God’s grace and mercy. Peter was the only one to confess the truth of who Jesus is — and it didn’t come from his studies. It was revealed to him by God. I’ll be praying for you this Easter Season as you continue to look to Jesus in your journey.