WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?

There is a great movement taking place today in the field of education. There is today a shift from traditional classrooms to smart classrooms. In this new setup smart TV, laptop, tablets, and other gadgets are utilized in the instruction of students. But with this, the first that gets removed from the traditional classroom is the teacher’s table. The removal of the teacher's table is a symbolic and significant act. For a long time, educational pedagogies thought that the only source of information and data inside the classroom is the teacher positioned in front of all students. The students are simply to copy and receive whatever the teacher tells them. Inside a smart classroom, the discussion tables of students replace the teacher’s table. They are placed around a platform on which students can stand to share their own ideas with the other students. The teacher simply facilitates the discussions of students on a given topic. This method develops communication skills, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity among students as they are allowed to participate actively in the discussion. The teacher ceases to be the sole source of knowledge in a smart classroom.

In His teaching ministry, Jesus proved to be way ahead of His time. Even before the advent of smart classrooms and 21st century educational pedagogy, He allowed His disciples and the people around Him to participate in the birth of life lessons. More than simply spoon-feeding the people, He would throw to them questions that can lead them in discovering truths about God. Jesus allows man to participate in the process of revelation.

In the gospel (Mt 16:13-23), Jesus asked His disciples: Who do people say that I am? He could have simply taught His disciples about His true identity, but He elicited participation from them. Participation in the process of revealing God and his plans allows the disciples to own and remember well whatever the results of that process of revelation. Participation in the revelation enabled Simon Barjona to unfold his true identity and vocation as Peter, the rock on which the Church would be built. Peter perfectly shared in the revelation of Jesus identity for he drew knowledge from his experience of Jesus, from the experience of the divine. And so he answered that question of Jesus: You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. No human had told him about that but only God himself, may it be through direct divine revelation or simply through his experience of Jesus as he accompanied Him in His ministries. Through that process of participation in the revelation, Peter realized that he can be an instrument of God in making Himself known to man. But Peter could only rightly do so if he had God as the wellspring from which he draws out knowledge. For no sooner, after he became God's instrument in revealing the identity of Jesus, Peter, influenced by Satan, tried to obstruct the realization of his revelation. He opposed the fulfillment of the mission of Jesus: “Never, Lord. This must not happen to you.” We can only be effective participants in the process of revelation if we have God as the true source of our knowledge.

As Jesus asked us: “Who do you say that I am?” He invites us to be God's instruments in revealing Himself before this world, to participate in the revelation. Before responding, pray that your source may be God alone and that you experience the Divine, lest you may obstruct the unfolding of God's will.