When someone asks us a question out of the blue, we’re usually surprised but also curious as to what prompted the inquiry. Usually when explained we can see the person’s thought process and come to understand that for them it wasn’t really out of the blue, but very appropriate.

In today’s gospel reading Jesus asks the apostles a question that certainly seems to come out of nowhere – out of the blue. HE asks “Who do people say that I am.” The apostles I am sure were surprised but they answer him honestly. As it turns out Jesus had a very specific reason for asking his question. He goes on to talk about who HE really is: HE is going to suffer and die and after three days rise from the dead. HE is not the kind of savior many of the Jewish people expected. HE was not looking for His own glory, but rather the glory of His Father and the Salvation of all. In order to do this He had to give of Himself, over and over until there was nothing left for Him to give.

This was not what the apostles expected as we can see from Peter’s response. But Jesus was determined to teach them and to prepare them for the time He would no longer be with them.

Jesus asks us that same question in our lives: Who do we say that Jesus is? For us that means different things at different times, depending upon our needs and our life circumstances. But the bottom line is, He will always be our Savior, the Messiah, the One who gives of Himself to us, over and over again until we all share with Him the gift of the Kingdom of God.