“Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi.” Today’s Gospel begins in a somewhat unusual way. Rather than starting with the typical “Jesus began to teach them,” or “Jesus told his disciples another parable,” it starts with a statement about geography, about a particular city called Caesarea Philippi. I’ve been there and can tell you that it’s well worth visiting; it’s a popular tourist attraction. That’s because, well before the time of Jesus, this area was an important spot along one of the major trade routes from the east to the Mediterranean Sea – much like Jerusalem some 125 miles to the south. There are ruins of ancient temples in Caesarea Philippi dating back to about 800BC. They’re dedicated to the pagan gods whom the people of the region worshiped at that time. The Greeks had settled there 500 years later, in the 3rd century BC, naming the region Paneas, after their god, Pan, that half-man, half-goat figure we all recognize from our study of Greek mythology. The foundation of the temple dedicated to Pan is still visible there today; it’s quite impressive. The Greeks had even built a city there to support the strategic military outpost they had built there. This military outpost sat on one of the most prominent landmarks in all of Israel – a massive wall of rock over 100 feet high and 500 feet wide. And, there was a spring that gushed forth water from that wall. This was also very important in an area that would, otherwise, be a desert. In 14AD, when Jesus was a young man growing up in the region, the tetrarch Philip renamed the city Caesarea in honor of Caesar Augustus, and erected another large temple there to honor Caesar, who, like other rulers of his day, was considered to be a god. And, through the centuries, other people have traveled to this spot to carve niches into the side of this enormous cliff, placing statues of their gods in them, and worshipping them.
It’s important to know this background to understand why it was that Jesus took his disciples some 25 miles out of their way from their usual haunts around the Sea of Galilee; and remember, it was all on foot! As we hear in today’s gospel account, Jesus did this for the sole purpose of asking them a single question. He obviously wanted the backdrop of the massive cliff, the various temples and all the honors given to the emperors and their gods, when he asked a question that is possibly the most important in all of the Gospels: “Who do you say I am?” Of course, that question is not addressed only to his first followers two thousand years ago. It echoes down through the centuries until it lands on each of our ears today: “Who do you say I am?” Jesus asks us. Keep that in mind as we reflect on today’s readings.
It’s important for each of us to answer that question and to recognize that, in fact, the question is really is not only about Jesus and who he is. It’s about his followers. In other words, it’s about us. Just as the disciples of his day had to wrestle with this question because it would determine where their loyalties were, whom they would follow and how they would live, so we have to wrestle with the question because the answer to that question also answers these questions: “Who am I?” “What do I believe?” “Who do I follow?”
Simon, who stood there in the shadow of this massive wall of rock and the pagan temples, is given a new name: Peter, which I’m sure you know, means Rock. And, as Peter came to recognize Jesus for who he really was – the Christ – the Anointed One, the Son of the living God – this Peter, with all of his shortcomings, allowed the Spirit of God to mold him into the first great leader of the followers of Christ to build a new temple – the Church. And that’s what can happen for each of us. When Jesus came, he not only saved us from our sins through his death and resurrection, he also established his Church to continue his saving work. And, he calls us – as he called his first disciples – to continue this work.
In today’s second reading, we are challenged to recognize the depths and wisdom and knowledge of God. How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways, we hear. As we struggle with so many hard issues today – the specter of the clergy sex abuse scandal raising its head, once again right here in our midst, the ongoing war in Ukraine with its threat against democracy globally, the fractured political situation in our country and the ongoing financial roller coaster ride – we are reminded to recognize the one, true God, and to humbly acknowledge, as we hear in today’s second reading, “from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” In the midst of all of the uncertainties of this life, we who gather here around our Lord’s altar admit that our ultimate reality is to glorify God forever and ever.
The event recorded in today’s gospel passage occurs just before Jesus tells his disciples that he would go to Jerusalem “and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Jesus goes on to tell his disciples – and us – that “whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Jesus was preparing them – and us – for the inescapable struggles that any of his followers must be willing to embrace if they wish to be raised with him on the last day. Just as Jesus did not try to avoid the suffering and death his Father had in store for him, so we need to face the suffering and death that are part of the journey of each of our lives. Like Jesus, we too, find ourselves in the Garden of Gethsemane and like Jesus, we pray, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.”
God is in charge of the universe and, in this time with all of its challenges – like every age, as any student of history will tell you, we are given a real-life moment to acknowledge that and to follow the example Jesus, the true Son of the living God, has given us
In the end, we will all have to face the wall of Caesarea Philippi and honestly answer this single Gospel question: “Who do you say I am?” Let us pray that, like Peter, we may come to recognize Jesus for who he really is – the Christ, the Son of the living God, and put our trust in the only one who can save us and lead us through the struggles of this life to the fullness of life in heaven.