Sunday 13 September 2009

Background

Imagine you are one of the disciples walking with Jesus. You canfeel the heat of the burning sun on the top of your head, yoursandaled feet are tired and dusty, a haze rests over the crops inthe fields, even the birdsong is muted; but in the air there is agentle hum of intermittent conversation as the disciples chatquietly in twos and threes.

Suddenly, cutting through your thoughts, Jesus' voice comes loudand clear: "Who do people say that I am?" You are startled. You hadjust been mulling over this very question. Recently you had gonewith Jesus to his home town of Nazareth and the people had turnedagainst him (Mark6:1-6). They knew him as Mary's boy, a local carpenter, butnothing special. But then there was the incident on the Sea ofGalilee (Mark4:35-41). Jesus had stood up in the boat, looked at the ragingwind and towering waves and ordered the storm to be still. At thatmoment, in the stillness following the storm, you knew you were inthe presence of God. And now you hear Jesus asking, "Who do you saythat I am?"

People have been asking who Jesus is for over 2000 years. In thispassage, Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah, but Jesus'subsequent warning that he will suffer and be killed does not fitthe accepted understanding of a Messiah - not in the eyes of theJewish people, who were expecting a kingly warrior to free themfrom Roman occupation. This is the first of three predictions ofthe Cross in Mark's Gospel, but each is also a prediction ofresurrection. Faith cannot be separated from suffering, but forthose who respond in obedience to God's call there is the promiseof new life. Jesus obeyed his father's call, suffered, died androse again.

On this Racial JusticeSunday, we are reminded that Jesusinvitesall to be his disciples. "He calledthe crowd," that is, each of us, and offered the invitation "If anywant to become my followers"... Jesus defies classification but heasks the same question of each of us today - "Who do you say that Iam?"

To Ponder

What would your response be to Jesus' question"Who do you say that I am?"

Who do you want Jesus to be?

How is your answer to these questions reflectedin the way you live your life?