Today’s gospel reading leads us into a section of Mark’s gospel that explores challenges confronting all disciples on their journey of faith. The first challenge is to clarify the nature of our commitment as disciples of Jesus. If we fail to understand who Jesus is, then we have little chance of understanding the nature of our own call to follow him. Two questions (“Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?”) are addressed to our forbears in faith communities of the latter part of the first century and to Christians across the millennia. We are invited to hear these questions anew. Do we simply share what “the people” say about Jesus? Are we like Peter who has the right language but only partial insight? Or do we have the wisdom to seek a deeper understanding of the identity of Jesus?
