“But Who Do You Say I Am…?”

When I first began writing in my website, the angels encouraged me to write on the Gospel every Sunday. With Love and gratitude- this is the Gospel of Mark 8:27-35 – with a loving message behind it.

Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is so much you can say about today’s Gospel reading, as these are very bold words spoken by Jesus and disciples. 

First , Jesus asks the disciples, “who do you say I am? ” and the disciples answered,”You are the Christ!” – which can only be answered, seen and understood through the Holy Spirit sent by God revealing the true identity of His Divine Son, Jesus Christ through them. 

Jesus goes on to reveal the Divine Plan, to prepare them for what they were to witness with Jesus Christ. Like Peter,  if any one of us would have heard that Jesus, who we were walking so closely with,  was about to suffer at all, anyone of us might have said,” No way Jesus! I won’t let you do that” or ” Jesus , I will never allow any harm come to you!” – For there is not one of us who would like to see anyone suffer at the hands of another, much less the Holy Christ himself. 

Jesus rebukes Peter, and informs him that Peter is thinking like a human and not as God does; revealing to Peter that no human can stand in the way of God’s plan- especially the Divine Plan of Salvation! No human can understand the depths of God’s Understanding. Jesus is not sugar-coating anything, but speaking openly and directly to Peter and the disciples. 

Jesus then goes on to say that if we truly follow Jesus, then we follow him by denying yourself. Becoming self-less in service to God’s Will in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Thankfully in today’s era , people are no longer crucified, however many men have lost their lives for their spiritual beliefs in Christ Jesus. 

Jesus suffered once and for all for everyone and offered  himself blameless to God on the cross, offering his own blood for others. This type of sacrifice would come hard to anyone , even if we knew and loved those we were dying for, but Jesus offered himself for all people- including those who do not even acknowledge him as the Son of God. God and Jesus show no partiality in their love for us . In their Great and Holy Love, we all live under the Grace of Christ. We were all given the Light of Christ and the Seal of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to overcome any weakness we may have, or any challenge we may be facing, to uplift us and to help us remember that unlimited love, peace, gentleness, kindness, generosity and wisdom are our strengths. The Holy unconditional love that God had for us, even then, when he sent His Son,  is still abundantly with us today, and so is the Love of His Holy Son , Jesus Christ. 

“Come as you are” the angels always say. “Come in faith, thanksgiving, sincerity and uplift all concerns to God now and always.” Give any burdens to Jesus, for His yoke is light and Love one another as he loved us. “For Jesus is the Light of Salvation and is in your hearts”

Invite Jesus to spend time with you in your heart anytime. You do not need to say anything you can simply spend time with him now and always.

In Jesus Name