In today’s gospel, St. Peter asserts that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God, who has come to redeem the world. Jesus actually asks his disciples two basic questions of his identity: who do people say that I am? and who do you say that I am?

It is not enough to know what other people say about Jesus, we each need to encounter and respond to him personally. We need to proclaim his Lordship not only with our lips, but with our lives.

It is this personal adherence to Jesus Christ and taking responsibility of our faith that opens the door to spiritual maturity and wisdom, joy and interior peace that spiritual maturity brings with it.