24th Sunday B

24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time B

Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9  James 2:14-18  Mark 8:27-35

“Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Jesus’ harsh words to Peter in today’s gospel are a sobering reminder that the Christian Gospel does not conform to worldly standards of power and prestige.  Following Jesus leads to resurrected life, but only after we have gone with him to the cross. “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.”

In the first reading from the servant songs of Second Isaiah, the prophet/servant gives an autobiographical report of his tireless commitment to speaking a rousing word to the “weary” exiles who think that their Lord is powerless to save them from their Babylonian captors.  Because of his confidence that the Lord is his help, the prophet, like Jesus in today’s Gospel, has the courage not to turn back from his mission, even though it involves suffering and rejection. “The Lord is my help,/ therefore I am not disgraced;/ I have set my face like flint,/ knowing that I shall not be put to shame.”

The Epistle continues the sections from James and contrasts “lifeless” faith which merely professes belief and active faith which expresses itself in deeds of kindness for those in need.  James’ example is priceless. “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and no food for the day,and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?” To merely wish well to a person who has neither food nor clothing is worthless.  This is not real faith at all.  James poignantly concludes by saying: “Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.”

The Gospel for this Sunday is a climactic incident in Mark.  After revealing the kingdom of God in his powerful healing and preaching ministry throughout Galilee and Gentile regions north and west of Judea (Mark 1:14-8:26), Jesus now journeys south toward Jerusalem (8:27-10:54).  He also begins to teach the disciples his full identity as the Son of Man who must both suffer rejection and death at the hands of the Jewish leaders and Gentiles in Jerusalem but also be raised up and return as the glorious Son of Man.  Sadly, the twelve consistently refuse to accept Jesus’ mission and the demands of following him to the cross.

Today’s story is set at a village near Caesarea Philippi in the extreme northern reaches of Jewish territory.  In this obscure place, Jesus asks his disciples the climactic question: “Who do people say that I am?”  They reply that the crowds understand him as a prophet in the tradition of John the Baptist and Elijah.  When Jesus puts the same question to his disciples, Peter, on the basis of what he has witnessed in Jesus’ ministry, is prepared to confess that he is more than a prophet and is indeed “the Christ” or “Messiah.”

Jesus’ response to Peter’s confession is consistent with his teaching throughout much of the Galilean ministry.  He warns the disciples “to tell no one about him.”   Peter and the disciples cannot fully understand Jesus simply on the basis of the powerful miracles he has performed.  Now for the first time Jesus teaches them “that the Son of Man must suffer greatly, and be rejected by the elders and chief priest and scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.”  Peter refuses to accept such a destiny for the Messiah and is rebuked, in the most shocking terms, as a “Satan” who is judging by human standards rather than those of God.  Jesus follows his rebuke by insisting that willingness to follow him to the point of taking up one’s own cross in self-denial and even loss of life will be determinative to the disciples’ judgment when the Son of Man comes in glory. As we continue to read Mark’s account of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, let us ask ourselves if we are prepared to accept the Messiah who comes to us in the apparent weakness of the cross.