Peter uses his instincts

Jesus, help me to trust my instincts! Amen.

"Who do other people say that I am?" Jesus asked the Apostles. They answered, "John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or another prophet." "But who do you think I am?" Jesus asked. Peter said, "The Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus told him, "Bless you, Peter! Your name means 'rock,' and on this rock, I'll build my church."

Instinct helps kids in a lot of ways. One example of using your instincts is when a grownup seems scary to you: If your stomach feels funny when the person talks to you, your instincts might be telling you that the person isn't safe.

Instincts also help in good ways: When you're about to take your swimming test after a bunch of lessons and you think you can't remember anything you've learned, you jump into the pool -- and just like that, you swim the way you need to! Your body remembers how to do it, even if it seems like your brain doesn't.

In this week's Gospel (Matthew 16:13-20), the Apostle Peter uses his instincts. Jesus asks what kind of gossip people are spreading about Him, and the Apostles all say that people are claiming Jesus is really someone else -- a prophet.

Then Jesus asks who the Apostles think He is. Just as your instincts help you figure things out, Peter's instincts help him. Even though he doesn't know the answer, he realizes that Jesus must be the Son of God, the Messiah who came to help people get close to God. And when Peter opens his mouth, the right answer just comes out!

Instincts can help you figure out when you're in danger or how to do something you need to do, like swimming. Peter's instincts helped him see that someone who did miracles and was willing to die to save the world must be more than a prophet: Jesus must be God!