project their own expectations upon him. He called* the

project their own expectations upon him. He called* the Pharisees a “brood erf vipers” (Mt 3:7), as Chris’t himself would later do (Mt 12:34).

Ultimately, John’s call of> King Herod to accountability/, because of his invalid mar,-, riage to Herodias (Mt 14:34), cost him his head. , ■_

In every generation, “the crowds” (that means you and me) often project their own prejudices also on the person of Christ.

The motives range from, the malignant to the sentiT mental.

Regardless, attempts to define Christ on our ownterms are always misguide^ and dangerous. The prop^-, ganda machine of the Nazi^; produced their own Christ In the 1960s, our culture produced the counter-cultur-, al Christ of “Godspell.” In, the 1970s and 1980s, certain violent Marxist liberation

as a gun-toting revolutionary. In our day, all too often we see Christ presented as a, non-judgmental sensitive new age male.

But Christ is not “ourfc creation, even if he permits us to deceive ourselves into thinking as much. Throughout the ages, he insists in asking, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” (Mt. 16:15).

Simon Peter, of course,! answered correctly under the influence of the Holy Spirit. “You are the Christ,! the Son of the living Godh (Mt. 16:16). The Catechisrh of the Catholic Church teaches that this is the first time that a disciple witnesses to the true divinity of! Jesus Christ (CCC 442).

The answer of St. Peter remains ever ancient, ever' new.

Jesus Christ is true God and true man! Every thing,; every event, every persori must be considered in refer-" ence to this fact. Jesus Christ is the Lord of the universe, the Lord of history1 and the Lord of our lives. We' belong to his kingdom and “the least in the kingdom of heaven” is even “greater than” John the Baptist! (Mt liGD.

If we get that right, we get everything right. 1

Father Pokorsky is tHe priest assigned to St. Peter’s Catholic Church. His e-mail address is pokorsky@ shentel.net.

movements proposed