And what happened then, still happens. We are faced with decisions to make about following our Lord. Do we stay or do we go away? This is the drastic choice that faces all who come in contact with Jesus. It’s not just a matter of accepting that certain beliefs are true but it involves a personal commitment at the level of the heart and of the mind to live by the values of Christ. The personal option to belong to Jesus regardless of where life may lead us is at the centre of our faith and is an ongoing struggle. It is so easy for us to compromise, pick and choose from Christ’s teaching what suits us. God does not always correspond to our idea of Him or to what we would like Him to be. So Christ invites us to surrender and entrust ourselves to Him. This means learning to rely on God rather than ourselves when the road ahead is uncertain. Most of us of course have doubts and face difficulties about our faith, but like Peter, we would be lost without it.

May our prayers be a response like Peter’s, from the depths of our hearts: "Lord where else shall we go? We believe you have the message of eternal life."

Stay well and safe.

Fr. Arsenio