Sundays Reflection IN TODAY’S GOSPEL WE RECALL a high point in Jesus’ relationship with his disciples. It represents a quantum leap in their understanding of who he really is. Jesus asks his disciples a fundamental question about his identity, the same which he asks you and I today “WHO IS JESUS FOR ME” It took them quite a while to come to this point. And even here, as subsequent events in the rest of the Gospel clearly indicate, they still did not fully understand the implications of what they had just begun to realize. In a way, of course, today’s passage really is an expression of the faith of the early Church rather than just that of the disciples at the time of the event described. Mark, in particular, likes to emphasize the poor understanding of the disciples with regard to the identity and teaching of Jesus. The first person in his Gospel to recognize Jesus fully was a pagan soldier at the foot of the Cross (Mark 15:39). At that moment, Jesus’ disciples, his chosen followers, were nowhere to be seen. Nevertheless, aware of their limited grasp of what they are saying, Jesus praises Peter. “Simon, son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.” Only faith could have led Peter to say what he did. It needed faith to recognize the Saviour-King in the dusty human figure standing before him, so different surely from the images that most Jews would have had of their long-expected, all-conquering and nation-liberating leader. Only with God’s enlightenment could they see God’s presence in this carpenter from Galilee, their friend and teacher. Despite this moment of insight, Peter and the rest have a long way to go in fully knowing Jesus. We might say at this point that we are in exactly the same position. Perhaps for a long time we have recognized in Jesus the Son of God and our Lord but we, too, have a long way to go in fully understanding and in accepting the full implications of being his followers. The relationship with Christ is His infinite love and care. Belief in this is all important so we have to get to know – always more and more deeply – the One to whom we are related by Infinite Love. I try to be in touch with Him more and more each day. Spending more time with Him so that His Infinite Love means more to me each day and our relation grows with no end in sight – except to know we are the object of a Love that is infinite and, with His help, to respond appropriately. Let us Pray: Lord Jesus help me to recognize you in the people that I come across each day and in the events that happen to you. I pray that my faith in you may always increase especially in time of trials and temptations. This and many more I ask through Christ our Lord......Amen
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 07:45:26 +0000
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