Who do you say I am ~ A Reflection on the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Is 50:4c-9a

Ps 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9, 

Jms 2:14-18

Mk 8:27-35

"But who do you say that I am?"  This is the question that Jesus puts to his disciples in today's Gospel of Mark.  Jesus has already asked them who other people think he is. Now he wants an answer from those he calls his own.  These disciples have been with him since the beginning of Jesus' ministry so they must realize that Jesus is more than a prophet.

Peter does not hesitate to speak up:  "You are the Christ!"  His disciples believe Jesus to be the Anointed One of God.  The Messiah who has been promised...

In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies about a Suffering Servant, who willingly "...gave my back to those who beat me, ...my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting"... who was able to overcome all these insults because "the Lord is my help, therefore I am not disgraced..."  (Is 50:4c, ff)  But Peter has forgotten Isaiah's words and  is horrified when Jesus begins to teach them about his coming suffering, his rejection by the Jewish leadership and that he will be killed, though he will rise in three days.  Peter doesn't want the people to hear these words and so he rebukes Jesus.  Jesus has given the people hope by his words, miracles and actions; and Peter fears that their hopes will be dashed.

Jesus has strong words for Peter:  "Get behind me, Satan..."  He reminds Peter that he is thinking like a human being does; not as God thinks.  Jesus tells the people that those who want to come after him, will have to deny themselves, take up their own crosses to follow him.

This brings us to our own selves and to our own time.  Who do we believe Jesus is?  Scripture teaches us that we make a commitment to one Person: Jesus... the Way.  However, we may not all say, "You are Lord" in the same way, as our priest reminded us in his homily.  Our response to Jesus' question is answered by the way we live our lives.  Our response is more than Faith...

In the second reading, St. James writes to those early Christians that faith without works is dead!  In other words, there is more that is required of us.  To feed the hungry... to clothe those who have nothing to wear...  to help those in need... to forgive... to forget ourselves and go beyond ourselves...  just as Jesus did.  The crosses that we bear become lighter when we concentrate on others and forget ourselves.

The psalmist answered the question also, when he wrote:

"...he freed my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling..."(Ps 116:8)  Jesus is a saving Lord...


 ~ Image from I Blog Jesus