To be honest, as you read Mark’s Gospel, one gets the impression that the disciples are a bit dull, or at least slow to catch on to Jesus message. Jesus repeatedly says to them, “Do you not understand” or even with a bit of exasperation, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:17).
Earlier in this chapter, the disciples are flustered. Even after witnessing Jesus feed five thousand people with a few loaves, the disciples are worried because they forgot to bring lunch! Is Jesus frustrated with them? He seems to be.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives them a quiz. First, Jesus asks them, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mk 8:27). This question is not too threatening. The disciples quickly report the neighborhood gossip. They reply with what they have heard, some people are saying you are John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others are saying that you are one of the prophets.
John the Baptist has just died two chapters earlier in Mark’s Gospel (6:27-28) so the crowds must mean John the Baptist come back to life. Herod, the ruler of Galilee, says exactly this to his officials in Mathew’s Gospel (Matthew 14:14).
Others suggest that Jesus might be the prophet Elijah who was ‘taken up to heaven by a whirlwind’ (2 Kings 2:1, & 2:11). Later the Bible the prophet Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return from heaven before “the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5) to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children (4:6).
Finally, others suggest that Jesus was another prophet. Either yet another prophet who returned from the dead or perhaps a new prophet for the final times.
Now Jesus asks his disciples a more personal and important question. “But who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8:29). Each one of us still needs to answer this question. Who do you say that Jesus is?
Initially Peter seems to get a gold star for answering, “You are the Christ or the Messiah.” Jesus does not simply accept this answer; however, he goes on to explain what kind of Messiah he will be. Jesus will be a suffering Messiah who will be rejected by the Jewish leaders, killed and finally will rise from the dead after three days.
Our first reading form Isaiah is from a collection of poems about a future messiah, or suffering servant, who will offer himself up for the people and take away their sins. This suffering servant says,
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who tore out my beard;
My face I did not hide
from insults and spitting.
This is actually part of a long series of poems by Isaiah that prophesy future the suffering and death of Jesus. Hearing Jesus say this, Peter reacts and tries to correct Jesus, but receives a hash rebuke. Note that being able to recite the correct words did not mean Peter’s heart was open to God.
Jesus says to him, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”(Mk 8:33).
I do not know about you, but I would feel ashamed and deflated if Jesus said this to me. Peter was supposed to be the leader of the other disciples, but now in front of all of them, Jesus corrects him harshly.
One of the keys to spiritual growth is to have the humility, or use more modern words vulnerability. This is the honesty with our self to admit our weakness, and our mistakes, and to grow from them. Vulnerability is the power to walk directly into our shame and own it, and then to grow into something new.
Again, I do not know about you, but I find this kind of vulnerability excruciatingly difficult but at the same time something that leads to life changing freedom and intimacy with God.
Facing my fears, am I really willing to suffer for my faith? Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mk 8:34). Many saints have told us that the beginning of the spiritual life involves both detachment, “denying oneself” and humility.
It is also interesting that Jesus does not make the problem about knowledge or the correct answers to the test questions. Peter said the right words, but was still wrong in his heart. Our reading from James talks about his. Our works of holiness are the fruit of a changed heart (CCC 2002). We are not simply learning to say the right words, as we might do in a question and answer catechism lesson.
There is a clear change that must take place in our hearts. We must learn to think as God does, and not as our human nature does.
How can this change take place in our hearts?
This past week we celebrated the Nativity of Our Lady. I think we can learn how to guide our hearts toward God by examining Mary.
At the annunciation the Angel Gabriel says to Mary, “Hail Mary full of grace” (Lk 1:28). Greek word used here implies that Mary has already received and been prepared by God’s grace at some point prior to meeting the Angel Gabriel.
The first initiative is always Gods. He begins by giving Mary an abundance of grace. Mary’s part occurs in her response, “let it be done to me according to you word” (Lk 1:38). God’s preparation of Our Lady was of course unique, but St. Paul tells us that for each one of us, God “chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” (Eph 1:4).
Each baptized child receives the grace of the Holy Spirit and is joined to Christ. Receiving the Holy Eucharist and Confirmation further joins us to Christ and brings us into communion with him.
God knows each one of us by name. He even had a plan for our lives “before the beginning of creation.” He has taken the initiative to send his Spirit and offer us his grace. His grace is already active before we even think about responding (CCC 2001). Like Our Lady, he is waiting for us to say “Yes.” Yet God requires our response and cooperation (CCC 2002).
In a sense, this is like receiving a present for our birthday or for Christmas. This beautiful gift must be unwrapped by us personally, and then received with great joy. It requires our cooperation before we become aware of what is in this gift. Only then, can we properly receive his gift and give thanks for it.
How can God change our hearts? This is supernatural work, which begins with God’s desire and initiative, but it cannot change our hearts without our cooperation. It begins with humility and detachment, but ultimately it requires our complete surrender, our “yes” to God. The surrender of our hearts, allows us receive the fullness of his grace, to thank God, and to bear fruit in our lives.|
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