Faith Daily | 16 February 2023

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p537

Let your merciful ears, O Lord,

be open to the prayers of your humble servants;

and that they may obtain their petitions

make them to ask such thins as shall please you;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Mark 8: 27-33

27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ 29He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’* 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Cheryl Courtice

”Who do the people say that I am?”

“But who do you say I am?”

“You are the Messiah.”

When I read these verses it all seemed familiar and, sure enough, I had written a reflection on Matthew 16:13-32 where this incident is also reported.

A significant incident for Jesus because his time was short, his days numbered and he was wondering if there was anyone who understood him…who recognised him for who and what he was.

Knowing what sort of suffering and death lay ahead for him, who would carry on his work after he departed this earth?

After all the teaching, healing and miracles, even with a few, hopefully, his work would be safe. “But who do you say that I am?”

“You are the Messiah.”

This passage is important because of Peter's declaration that he believes Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus' first prediction of his own death and resurrection.

It is also interesting because it shows the speculation about who Jesus was. The Jews knew that Jesus was special because of his teaching and miracles, but it had not occurred to them that Jesus was the Messiah.The Jews were expecting a Messiah who would lead a rebellion against the Romans, not a mild, loving teacher.

Peter was often slow on the uptake, but he was the first to recognise that Jesus was the Messiah. However, Peter could not imagine the suffering ahead for Jesus or the suffering that followers of Jesus would endure.

Oh, the benefit of hindsight.

“Jesus is Lord.”

After my reflection on Matthew 16:13-32 I received an email from Neville Eckersley with a quote from CSLewis:

" I am constantly battling with three issues : my false image of God, my false image of my neighbour and the false image of myself."

that provides the opportunity for further reflection ……

FINAL PRAYER MP 367