Who Do You Say I Am?

Pastor’s Column

September 16, 2018

24^th Sunday Ordinary Time

“And he asked them, ‘but who do you say that I am?’”

(from Matthew 8:27-35)

Who do you say that I am? This gospel always reminds me of a “pop-quiz” that teachers use to check on the progress of their students. One can imagine the disciples and Jesus enjoying an evening meal, perhaps by a fire, just relaxing after a successful day of preaching and healing. In the course of a simple conversation, without warning, Jesus asks a seemingly innocent question: “Who do the people say that I am?”

Who do you say that I am? Many answers are forthcoming: “Some say John the Baptist or Elijah or a prophet!” Perhaps they were laughing as they tried to come up with all the different takes on Christ. This is still true today. People see Jesus from many angles in this world: a savior, a threat to personal liberty, a heretic, a good man, a philosopher, someone to ignore, a Good Shepherd, a friend. Although we are all called to spread the good news of who Jesus really is, Jesus is not interested in this at this moment in the gospel: rather, he zeroes in on precisely who each person present—his closest disciples, think Jesus is. How would we answer this question?

Who do you say that I am? We answer this question by how we live. For example, if I only attend church when no better offer comes along (like a sunny day at the beach or a football game), or if I habitually leave church early without a good reason, or do not pray on a regular basis, one can conclude that Jesus is not #1 in my life—that which I give priority in my life to is perhaps more of a “lord” than Christ is!

Who do you say that I am? Jesus appears in many forms besides his sacramental presence in the Eucharist. For example, the sick child, parent or spouse I am caring for, the homeless and unemployed I gave food to, the unborn that I am trying to protect in a world that seems to place little value in them. Jesus is present in the terribly persecuted Christians in Syria and other places… did I see him there?

Who do you say that I am? When I am grateful for what I like, and especially what I don’t like (at the moment) in my life, I really am saying to Jesus, you are the Lord! Jesus is looking for a few good friends that really trust him in every age. He constantly challenges us, through the circumstances of each day, to recognize by our daily choices who we are saying that Jesus really is in our lives.

Father Gary

Reflections from Scott Hahn

Following the Messiah: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Download Audio File

Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles, Duccio, 1308-1311

Readings:
Isaiah 50:4-9
Psalm 116:1-6, 8-9
James 2:14-18
Mark 8:27-35

In today’s Gospel, we reach a pivotal moment in our walk with the Lord. After weeks of listening to His words and witnessing His deeds, along with the disciples we’re asked to decide who Jesus
truly is.

Peter answers for them, and for us, too, when he declares: “You are the Messiah.” Many expected the Messiah to be a miracle worker who would vanquish Israel’s enemies and restore the kingdom
of David (see John 6:15).

Jesus today reveals a different portrait. He calls himself the Son of Man, evoking the royal figure Daniel saw in his heavenly visions (see Daniel 7:13–14). But Jesus’ kingship is not to be of this world (see John 18:36). And the path to His throne, as He reveals, is by way of suffering and death.

Jesus identifies the Messiah with the suffering servant that Isaiah foretells in today’s First Reading. The words of Isaiah’s servant are Jesus’ words—as He gives himself to be shamed and beaten, trusting that God will be His help. We hear our Lord’s voice again in today’s Psalm, as He gives thanks that God has freed Him from the cords of death.

As Jesus tells us today, to believe that He is the Messiah is to follow His way of self-denial—losing our lives to save them, in order to rise with Him to new life. Our faith, we hear again in today’s Epistle, must express itself in works of love (see Galatians 5:6).

Notice that Jesus questions the apostles today “along the way.” They are on the way to Jerusalem, where the Lord will lay down His life. We, too, are on a journey with the Lord.

We must take up our cross, giving to others and enduring all our trials for His sake and the sake of the Gospel.

Our lives must be an offering of thanksgiving for the new life He has given us, until that day when we reach our destination, and walk before the Lord in the land of the living.