The Other Fr Steven Beatty Project

Peter has his ups and downs in the Gospel, like all disciples, but this is his defining moment. “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” It’s been pointed out many times that Jesus’ question here is the very center of Christian religion. “Who do you say that I am?” Everything follows from your answer. If you answer that question like Peter, you’re a Christian.

Sometimes I’ve heard it said that everybody prays, and I think that’s probably true. Believer or atheist or agnostic or indifferent, there are moments in life when your soul cries out for help from some higher power. It just does. You don’t think it through, it isn’t a decision you make, it’s almost like a laugh or a scream - something that comes out of you unbidden. Take the world’s staunchest atheist, put him in the right situation, and whether he likes it or not a prayer will arise in his soul. It can be a moment of terror, of desire, or I think also a moment of gratitude. In a moment of great beauty, our soul can’t help but say, “Thank You.” And that only makes sense as a prayer. You can appreciate the laws of physics, but you can’t be grateful to them. You can only be grateful if you acknowledge Someone behind them. So whether they like it or not, I think it’s probably true that everybody prays. We pray for lots of different kinds of things: safety, healing, guidance