Being from New Jersey, I am almost required to be a fan of Bruce Springsteen. While I am not a fanatic, I did really love his Born to Run album. The reference to Highway 9 in the title song brings back memories of traveling that strip of asphalt from north Jersey to the Shore on weekends with my family. My Dad smoking a cigar and listening to Jerry Vale and Jimmy Roselli on the 8 Track player. But it is one of Springsteen’s later songs that seemed to connect with today’s readings. “Glory Days” In the song, Bruce (you are automatically on a first name basis with The Boss when you are from the Garden State) is leaving a bar but goes back in when he bumps into an old high school buddy. The classmate was an All Star picture for the school and apparently a BMOC (big man on campus). He is described as being able to “throw that speed ball by you and make you look like a fool”. The thing is, during this chance meeting, all the friend could talk about is his high school baseball days. It is as if his life was stuck in neutral. His identity was tied up with his high school baseball career and never moved past it. The song goes on to describe the best looking girl from high school who is now a single Mom after her husband left her. And it is her “Glory Days” that consume her as it did the baseball star.
Had a very interesting session today at the prison where I volunteer. We were discussing how we should not let our past define us. Being that we were presenting to a group of inmates, we naturally fell to talk of the negative aspects that sometime define men in their position. Drugs, gangs, parental failures, race issues, etc. But one of the guys spoke up and stated that he felt that positive past experiences could also create problems with how you are defined. He gave the example of someone in grade school or high school who gets high grades and may be at the top of their class. Often, smart people like this allow the image of begin a “brain” to be their defining trait. This is all well and good until that status changes. For example, the person who is at the top of their high school class may very well be an average student at a prestigious college. As their status of being a “brain” slips. so often does their identity. Who they “are” in life. And when this identity falters, they can lose the very foundation that their life was built on. Then in danger of becoming “devil’s food” (a prime target for Satan’s advances…oh, and also an irresistible chocolate cake).
In today’s Gospel from Matthew we see Simon with his own identity problem. If we recall Simon, before becoming a follower of Jesus, was a fisherman. It was how he supported his family and it was how his friends and neighbors viewed him. When he was close to losing his fishing business due to debts owed to Rome, he felt his world crumbling in on him. It was in this desperate state that Jesus found him. After declaring his sinful nature to Jesus, he became a follower. A disciple. An apostle. Three additional, and sequential, roles for him to identify as. How others saw him. His grade school to high school to college moments. Trading one role for another.
In today’s scene we see the familiar story of Jesus asking the Apostles who others say that He is. They respond with John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah or the other prophets. But Jesus gets more personal. He asks them directly…”But who do YOU say that I am”? Simon responds to the challenge by proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Now Jesus realizes that these words could not have come solely from Simon. He tells Simon, and I am sure he spoke loud enough for the other Apostles to hear, that this had to be revealed to him by Jesus’ heavenly Father. Why was it important for the other Apostles to hear this?
Well, let’s look at the first reading from whom other than Peter in his first epistle. Today is, after all, the feast of the Chair of St. Peter. In this section of the letter, we hear Peter giving exhortation to the elders regarding leadership in the Church:
Tend the flock of God in your midst,
overseeing not by constraint but willingly,
as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
Do not lord it over those assigned to you,
but be examples to the flock.
Do not Lord it over. Peter is telling those destined to lead to do so willingly and with humility. And Jesus in praising Simon for his insight into Jesus’ identity, and in preparation for making PETER (the Rock) head of His Church, impresses upon Peter the need for humility. That it was not Peter’s innate wisdom that lead him to this knowledge. It was God’s revelation.
And what about Peter’s new identity? Fisherman to follower to Apostle to now the leader of the Church. But these are merely titles. Like high school pitcher, like beauty queen. Like straight A student. Gang member, Goof off. CEO. President. Or Pope. All titles that are temporary. That come and go based on circumstances.
But there is one identity that transcends all the others. It is not based on your grades. Your talent. Who you hang out with. Your looks. Or who did, or did not, vote for you. Can you guess what it is? That’s right. A child of God. THAT is our ultimate identity. It does not change. It does not fail. It does not depend on your performance. Or how you look. You just are. And what does a true child do? He worships the one who gave him life. AND. He loves all those in the same boat. That’s it. The true Glory Days. Ain’t that Boss?
