He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
~ Matthew 16:15-16
It is amazing how the simple act making one’s bed can change a life and mold a character. In fact, soldiers spend many hours in drills and in the process they acquire discipline and learn how to listen to and follow the commands of their drill master. They go on long marches and they gain strength and stamina. These seem easy, simple and mundane tasks. But in the heat of a battle, listening to instructions, following orders, strength, stamina may mean life or death.
Yesterday, I was with some dear friends and we were talking about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.I shared that if we do not see Him in the ordinary, daily occurrences in our lives, it would be very difficult to see His Real Presence in a small white wafer. I love going on nature hikes. And the majesty and magnificence I experience during those hikes never fail to remind me of the Real presence of God in my life. And when I can have and enjoy such experiences, I have no trouble experiencing His Real Presence in the Eucharist. It is no longer a matter of logic or rational proof but it is an experiential and existential encounter with the God I love and believe in.
In the same way, I cannot answer the question Jesus asked of the apostles if I do not encounter him on a daily basis. “Who do you say that I am?” What am I to say if I do not even know Christ? How can I even get to know Him if I don’t even visit and stay with Him regularly? How can I know His will and plan for and with me, if we do not talk?
When I think of all these things, I begin to see that all of creation is indeed ablaze with the grandeur of God’s Presence. And everyday is a daily walk and conversation with Him.