24th Sunday of the Year

The gospel began with a discussion on Jesus’ identity and the disciples seem to be caught up in their own comfortable relationship with him. We might ask to what extent they, or we ourselves, understand the consequences of following Jesus. The disciples walk with Jesus towards Caesarea Philippi a city considered to be notorious, scandalous, shocking, and decadent.

It has a Temple built to honor the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus on the site of the ancient Greek temple to the god, Pan, the god of fertility and sexual potency. Its decadence and sexual exploitation kept ‘good’ Jews away.  Against this backdrop, Jesus asks his disciples, ‘who do people say that I am’ to which various responses are offered. Then the disciples are asked ‘who do you say I am’ and Peter gives a noteworthy answer: ‘You are the Christ. The son of the living God.’ As a faith Jew, Peter upholds the Jewish Shema prayer where he aligns Jesus with the one true and living God, Yahweh and with the dead and impotent gods of Greece and Rome. It takes us back to the question asked two weeks ago, which God will we serve.

The perceived connection with Jesus changes when he posed that crucial question about his identity to his inner circle of followers. In life too, we hold illusions.  We hold dreams, ambitions, beliefs of how things ‘ought’ to be.   These illusions can at times become truths. They can also hide truths we need to see. Peter’s response, ‘You are the messiah,’ identifies Jesus with a widely anticipated political and military figure who would restore the kingdom of Israel and defeat its foreign oppressors. As we follow Jesus, we see that Jesus is actively tries to prevent a political interpretation of his messiahship. At every turn, Jesus moves away from security, safety, and comfort towards the cross. The disciples were focused on winning where force and violence are the answer. A suffering Christ is unthinkable. How we answer Jesus’ question is important. Will we reveal God’s loving heart, or a mean and closed heart that dominates, punishes, is vengeful and violent? Our image of God in Jesus touches on our identity and affects our actions in the world. In everyday action, it involves being with and taking sides with the least, the last and the lost. It means we try to serve others in solidarity to move towards God’s reign, God’s embrace, and an ecology that includes all of creation It is a commitment to carry our cross every day which many people choose as they work for justice and resist violations against human rights.  It is the cross that says ‘I will be with you’ just as Jesus said through his life and death. Our response to Jesus’ question connects with James who suggests that commitment to Jesus implies a doing life differently. Christian history is replete with examples of people who died giving personal and alternate testimony rather than conform to the status quo.

Jesus urges his followers to take note of the risks in following him. He was not afraid to break the Sabbath when it meant caring for human need; he was not afraid to be seen with and talking with all kinds of women; he was not afraid to be seen with rich people; he was not afraid to be seen with the poor and people marginalised by society.

We see in the Gospel a gradual uncovering and recognition of who Jesus is. He embodies God with us. Peter’s response to Jesus’ question, ‘Who do you say I am?’ can only emerge from one who has walked with, listened to, watched and shared life with Jesus. What others say, whether church, traditionalists, politicians, even parents, are not enough.  An authentic response is enfleshed in our lives, actions, and words. It defines where were stand or stand with, where we sit and who we sit with. Our response affects who we will be with Jesus and how we journey with him towards others. It will reflect what kind of face we present to the world; what kind of heart we show to the world – the heart of a loving and compassionate God. This touches on identity, which is often the flashpoint of debates and struggles in culture and society today. Politicians have failed to appreciate this because they are so preoccupied with financial and economic concerns.

As we watch the events unfolding in Palestine, Sudan, and many other places around the world where people seek security, safety, well-being, we could demand Jesus’ question from political and religious leaders as the injustices they experience meet with lies, disinformation or silence. We have seen people pursuing forgiveness, reconciliation, nonviolence, kindness and generosity without boundaries or limits have aroused opposition. The disciples sought another way rather than wanting to accept the consequences of Jesus’ way of service. It is easier to suppress or obliterate the so-called ‘enemy’ than befriend him or her and to muzzle the dissenter rather than understand.

Before Pilate, Jesus said ‘My reign is not of this world.’ These words contrast the nature of Jesus’ non-violent reign with that of Pilate’s violent empire founded on injustice. Jesus’ rebuke to Peter could be seen as raising awareness of seeing that something dies in us when we seek revenge. This can be too much for some, but it is about loving even our enemies. Jesus’ resistance to Rome and those who collaborated with them was to be uncompromisingly non-violent. This was too much for Peter when he tried to deter Jesus. But Jesus doubles down on non-violent resistance. Today, when so many of our politicians and their cheerleaders embrace nationalism as a form of exceptionalism we see another incarnation of Roman dominance and empire. It was exemplified in people such as John the Baptist, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Oscar Romero, Rachel Corrie, Berta Cáceres as well as the many people who paid the price at the hands of empire and colonisation. Jesus is calling to seek martyrdom but we have to live according the script that follows from saying who Jesus is. It may have nasty consequences – but that is not what wee. The question is, are we up to that challenge? Do we really want to follow a Jesus who says we must take up crosses?

‘You have the bullet …

I have the word. The

bullet dies when

detonated, the word

lives when spread.’

Berta Cáceres

Our world is in a thundering cascade of suffering as well as ignored suffering. Pandemic, racism, climate change with the earth crying, sexism, floundering institutions – you know the list.  It can be overwhelming, but the readings (Isaiah and the Psalm) do not allow us to look away from injustices. We see compelling images of suffering of many at the hands of the powerful and the stories do not pull any punches. I hear this today as we follow the plight of the Palestinians. The stories are saying look with new eyes: ‘look here, we are beaten, we are humiliated, they try to shame us, we are distressed and sorrowful.  See what suffering we are bearing.’ We see courage every day in such places and near to us where a parent tries each day to bring forth the best life possible for a child born with severe disabilities; for the parent who also fights neglectful and uncaring systems; in people who stand up against abuses in society; in young people who refuse to accept bullying against themselves or another; in Catholics who strive to challenge the church system for equality and justice for all. Today, as we face political regimes at home and abroad that assail human rights, attack the vulnerable, and deny our common humanity, we must, each of us, discern prayerfully what following Jesus will mean in our context. What are we prepared to risk?

This is where we are called to take up our cross. It is not about patiently, passively enduring the violence of systemic or relational oppression and abuse. It is a call to take hold of life and stand up against injustice despite threats. It is not a call to passive suffering but to protest even if the status quo threatens suffering if you speak out. It to be willing to endure the results of disrupting, confronting, resisting, and protesting injustice so that we, and others, can live. We are called to count the cost and refuse to let go of life. Do not be silenced!  When those in power threaten those standing up to systemic injustice, we are called to hold to the hope of change. Whoever wants to save their life through remaining silent before injustice is to actually let go of life. But whoever is willing to fight for life, for equity and equality, for love and compassion, for inclusion, for a just and safe world that is home for everyone, even when threatened for doing so and refuse to let go of life and all that is life-giving are the ones through whom life is saved, life is found, and another world is being made possible.

Teaching God,

teach us to listen as those who are taught.

Save us from the arrogance that thinks we can judge others.

Make your wisdom our constant companion

and gentleness our guide,

so your Church can offer a faithful witness

to Jesus Christ,

the suffering and resurrected one.

Guard our tongues that we may sustain the weary

with words of your love for all.

Amen.

-Out in Scripture