If Jesus right now stands before us and asks the same question as he asked the Apostles:
“Who do you say that I am?” What would be our answer?
The knowledge of the people of Jesus’ time, according to the Apostles is that Jesus might be John the Baptist, Elijah or a prophet.
The knowledge of the disciples about Jesus in the words of Peter is, “you are the Christ.”
After 2000 years our knowledge of Jesus should be varied depending upon our own life experience. Our knowledge of Jesus should not be limited to the confession that Jesus is God or son of God or Savior or Messiah etc. It should be beyond all these things. One should be able to express out of one’s own experience and knowledge, saying: you are the internal force or guiding spirit, who lives in me, being transformed me into your likeness. This enables us to follow Jesus and to be an inspiration to others for the same.
2. The knowledge of the mission of Jesus the Messiah.
The Mission of Jesus is to suffer to die and to be raised on the third day. This is a confusive and contradictory statement to the knowledge of the Apostles. The disciples understood and remembered only first two stages i.e. suffering and death but not the resurrection even after it is realized. Their knowledge is blocked, for their concentration is on their own interests; when they saw it is against their wish; against their thinking. As a result they saw their future is darkness and their hopes are vanished. They left everything and followed not just for spiritual benefits alone, but with a greater hope of reestablishment of independent kingdom for the people of Israel. But, what now if the master himself dies…???? They see no meaning in following Jesus; no vision; no future; everything chaos!
Hence the reaction of Peter is a wish that this should not happen to Jesus. But the reaction of Jesus: Looks as a block to his mission and tells him: “get behind me Satan!”
What actually the MISSION OF JESUS OR THE MISSION behind his suffering, death & resurrection which the disciples did not understand and today we need to understand.
The mission behind his suffering, death and resurrection is to reconcile man with God and man with man. To give the world a hope that man becomes imperishable with eternal life. This he realized through the nourishment of his body and blood. Here, what we need to realize is that we have to fulfill the same mission.
We need to work for the reconciliation between God and man, by helping and encouraging them to lead the sacramental life esp. the confession.
Teach the gospel values to the people around you.
Encourage to popular devotions like rosary services, Eucharistic adorations, family prayers Sacred Heart enthronement etc.
Bring communion between people, promote socio gatherings, and promote communitarian and family spirit.
This is, in fact our knowledge/ understanding the Mission of Jesus.

3. Following Jesus:
Following Jesus has three fold characters.

1. Self-denial: one should have self-control upon all his attachments towards self-interests, towards dear and near ones; towards possessions, towards power and so on.

One should have sacrificial attitude which enables him to be ready to sacrifice anything and everything for the sake of Christ.
One should be able to have Jesus as his priority and only priority.

2. Taking up one’s own cross:

To be for Jesus, to be with Jesus does not dispense one from his responsibilities towards himself;
towards family;
towards society and
towards humanity With all its joys and sorrows; comforts and discomforts; assets and liabilities; its burdens and so on.

3. Follow:

Following Jesus in his spirit means:
To obey as he obeyed
To live for others as he lived
To love everybody including enemies as he did
To forgive all as he forgave even his enemies
To show love & concern for sinners as he did
To have the option for the poor as he is
To value the human life as he valued
To be broken as he broke himself to unite man and man and, god and man
To be generous towards needy as he did
and to sacrifice oneself for the good of others, as he did on the mount Calvary .
Hence to follow Jesus with full conscience is to remind ourselves of our knowledge and experience of Jesus that:
He is our internal force or guiding spirit,
who lives in us, being transformed us into his likeness.
-Fr John Raju Junjunuri
Mail: [email protected]