XII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
WHO DO THE CROWDS/YOU SAY THAT I AM?
By our Pastor, Fr. Carmelo Jiménez
This twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time we confront a question that goes further than just something historical, it is real and it is for our time, for you and for me: Who do the crowds say that I am?
“Once when Jesus was praying by himself, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’” (Lk 9:18) Jesus’ question grabs our attention and surprises us. This question brings us many other questions when we read the Gospel – Who cares about this question? Was it really Jesus who asked the disciples this? Or said another way, did Jesus care what people’s opinion of him was? Why? Or we could ask was it really the post-Easter community who find themselves wrestling with these questions and answers? Whichever it is, the figure of Jesus has always brought up unsettling questions. This gospel story plants these questions about Jesus. Who is Jesus? Who is this man who calls himself God? All of the answers correspond with the hope of Israel and reveal the hope that the people held tightly.
“Then he said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter said in reply, ‘The Christ of God.’” (Lk 9:20) We could ask ourselves, what was the real answer of Peter? Peter gives an answer that goes beyond his messianic hopes. Remember that Israel was awaiting the arrival of a Messiah with certain characteristics. This is the Messiah in which Peter believes. The Messiah that comes from the royal line of David. But the answer Peter gives goes much farther. This reality, which goes beyond the Jewish understanding of the Messiah, is the recognition that Jesus is actually the Son of God in a unique, singular and unrepeatable way. That is what Luke believes which is why he transmits that through his gospel.
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Lk 9:23-24) I like to read José Luis Martin Descalzo, especially his work The Life and Mystery of Jesus of Nazareth. In this work he states about this question: “Jesus demands absolute answers. He assures us that believing in him, man saves his life, but ignoring him, man loses his life. This man presents himself as the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6) And so – if this is true – our way, our life, will change according to the answer we give to the question about who Jesus is. How can we answer without knowing him, without getting to know his history, without contemplating the hidden details of his soul, without reading and re-reading his words?” The only way to truly assume the role of disciple of Jesus is to know him and then we can adhere ourselves to his person, his mission and the search for our salvation.
Today we are called, just like they were 2,000 years ago to give witness to Jesus as our Messiah and Savior just like Peter did. Today we are invited, with all of our doubts and searching, first recognizing the humanity of Jesus, to take the necessary step toward his true nature and the basis of the hope of humanity. He is the true hope of man that transcends history and the transient nature and barriers of this world. For this task we have been gathered as disciples of Jesus.