Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle

Lectionary: 535

Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

We've heard this story hundreds of times as it's retold in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. It recalls that inaugural moment when it all began, when Peter stepped forward to speak for himself, the disciples and all the church. Inspired by the Holy Spirit and instructed by the heavenly Father, he correctly identified the Nazarene as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus was delighted by his insight. He could see God's plan unfolding before his eyes with Peter's bold statement. 

We should notice the fact that this revelation came in the form of a conversation. It began with one man's question, another man's answer and the gift, a blessing, that bound them together. As we worship the Lord we must notice his continual conversation with God his Father, a conversation which ranges from eternity to eternity. As Saint John says, "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God." 

Sometimes conversations are more like contests as the parties talk at each other without listening to one another. Each person tries to tell the other something and they engage in a kind of duel. 

Samuel Johnson is remembered as one of the great conversationalists of his time, as recorded by his friend James Boswell. He often gathered a group of young scholars and entertained them with his quips. But as I have read the accounts they sound more like one man talking everyone else into the floor. He simply shouted or glared or talked over them. He was clever enough to make it fun and his young coterie kept coming back, but he was not given to respecting these young men as equals. He famously opposed the American Revolution with its principle of equality. 

Jesus engages in a conversation with the Father because they have equal, albeit infinite, dignity. They give that to each other. 

Often, when we think of God and our relationship with him we defer to God's superiority. The conversation might even begin with, "Since I cannot be God and you are, I'll defer to you!" Which of us has not, like Adam and Eve, attempted to be like gods? Finding our lives wrecked by the attempt, we surrender to the most high God. Sometimes, that leads to a worse catastrophe as we would remind others that they should worship God as we do. We pretend to be God's assistants who will enforce the reign of goodness, truth and righteousness. Our belief in hierarchy and its maintenance prevails!

But Jesus reveals a continual conversation with God and invites us into it. He is delighted in today's gospel, to discover the Father has spoken directly to Peter. He does not seem jealous of his prerogative to be God's spokesperson. Later he will bestow the Holy Spirit upon Peter and the Church, who will reveal deeper mysteries to us. Of course, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit speak with one voice and their message is consistent, but we have to notice the lack of competition in their conversation. 

Conversation is an art. It is like a dance of two or more persons moving together joyfully and fluidly, without bumping or bruising. How often have we delighted to watch Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance? Their artistry seems immortal. (And she, as women will remind us, matched Astaire step for step, backwards and in high heels!) 

I often meet people who are ready to talk. I sometimes meet people who are ready to listen. I rarely meet anyone who is ready to engage in conversation. It almost takes a pact, an intentional decision of both parties: "Let us share our thoughts, and attempt to listen as clearly as we speak! And perhaps come to new insight and new agreement." 

When we announce the Good News we celebrate the newness of Jesus' conversation with us, the Gospel he has enjoyed with the Father and the Holy Spirit from all eternity. We celebrate the deep respect God gives to the creatures made in his image. As co-creators with God we delight in the new, fresh beginning of each day.