Reflection on the Gospel of the Thursday Of The Sixth Week In Ordinary Time |
Mark 8:27-33 |
The people in general and the disciples of Jesus were still in the realm of miracle dependency, and therefore, on their way to Caesarea Philippi Jesus explicitly asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am? and who do you say that I am?” Peter’s Declaration was different from all that the general populace and the leaders of Israel were saying. He pronounced Jesus as the Messiah, but returns, so as to say, to his original impulsive, explosive mode, on Jesus foretelling of His Death and Resurrection quite openly. Peter, the disciples and the people around were not ready for this announcement, specially Peter as we see him rebuking Jesus on hearing of his way to the cross announcement. Jesus points out to Peter his fault of looking at things from the way our materialist world thinks, in spite the fact that he was being blessed with a God vision of seeing and understanding things from a heavenly perspective. This despite the fact that he just had proclaimed the ultimate heavenly truth of Jesus’ Messiahship. He was still clinging to the general view of an all conquering Messiah, who would sit on Israel’s Throne, like King David, and as his successor. They, in those days, could not perceive a Suffering Messiah, nor did they associate the prophecies of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah with the the Messiah.
Who do we say Jesus is? Are you ready to follow him, not with your understanding, but God’s? Holy Spirit Help me to surrender my understanding and desires and follow Christ Jesus.
