Word to the Wise
Thursday, February 20, 2020 - Thursday in the 6th Week in Ordinary Time
[Jas 2:1-9 and Mark 8:27-33]Along the way [Jesus] asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" they said in reply, "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets." And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ." Then he warned them not to tel anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, "Get Behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does but as human beings do." [Mark]
It could be an interesting exercise in a group of committed Christians to ask each person to say who he or she thinks Jesus is! When Jesus asks his disciples what they are hearing from others, the answers are all over the place. When he asks the disciples, themselves, who they think he is, we get only the impulsive response of Peter that is right but only partially so. As soon as Jesus tells Peter AND the other disciples what being "the Christ" is going to mean, the response is incredulous. Jesus' reply is one that we can all consider: "You are thinking not as God does but as human beings do."
Every Sunday we recite together the Nicene Creed which contains some essential truths about Jesus Christ that we must accept if we are to consider ourselves Catholic Christians. But are those words the ones that would come to mind if someone were to ask us, "Who do you think Jesus is?" In the Gospel According to Mark, not even the disciples truly know who Jesus is until he has suffered, died and risen. Even then, it took the Christian community nearly 500 years to settle questions about Jesus' identity as truly God and truly human! Again, the official statements about the "hypostatic union" and the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity may not be the first to spring to mind if we are asked who do we think Jesus is. More than 2,000 years of reflection stand behind our responses!! Maybe our answer could be, "Yes, I know what the creed says, but when I think of Jesus, this is what comes to mind......." Try this with your friends and see what happens!!!! AMEN