Today the Church celebrates the Chair of St. Peter... and the gospel presents Peter in a shining moment when he acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah. Who do you say that I am? asks Jesus. Peter replies-not Elijah, or John the Baptist, but the Christ. What a moment. It seems a lot of the time the disciples kind of blow it. They misunderstand what Jesus is trying to do and even try to sabotage him sometimes. Remember when Jesus says to Peter, "Get behind me Satan"? But today we're invited to celebrate Peter's recognition of who Jesus really is. I remember when I was about 22 or 23 and for some reason, perhaps at the behest of a teacher, I read the entire gospel of Mark in one sitting. I lived in an apartment on Ascot Drive in Moraga with my pal, Terri. I was home alone and was lying on the living room floor. I remember reading it and having an encounter with this person Jesus as I read through Mark's brief (only 16 chapters) telling of the gospel. Had I not been lying down, I like Paul, would've fallen down. If Jesus were to have asked me then, Who do you say that I am?, I too would've said, GOD. Now, like Peter, I don't often understand God's ways, but I've taken to reading the gospel of Mark again to try to remind myself again: just who do I say that Jesus is? because I can't often remember. and I want to.
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