Our True Identity
My topic today will be our true identity. What is your true self if you say that you are a follower of Christ? Our Bible readings today will help us to answer that question.
Our first reading came from the prophet Isaiah and his key concept is the tent peg. A good tent peg is solid and it holds the tent firmly in its place. Isaiah said to his audience, “Shebna is the chief steward in the palace and he is in charge of managing the property and the staff of King Hezekiah. But God wants the king to name a new chief steward because Shebna is wish washy and playing favorites. He is a lousy steward. He is not fulfilling the identity of a steward. He gives food to some people and not to others and that causes dissension in the ranks.” Isaiah said that God does not show partiality and that’s why a new chief steward should be appointed. The new chief steward will hold the royal household together because he will be a solid leader and not play favorites. He will be solid… like a solid tent peg that holds the tent in place. Isaiah teaches us that a faith filled person is fair and just and does not show partiality.
The next lesson is a geography lesson. Today’s Gospel began with these words: Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi. It is a beautiful location with great historical importance. When I was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land I took many pictures but this was the only one that I put into a frame. Caesarea Philippi is a small city located on top of a rocky plateau. The key word here is “rocky.” There is a cave under the city and it contains a spring which provides water for the River Dan. The River Dan is important because it is one of the headwaters for the Jordan River. Two other rivers also serve as headwaters and provide water for the Jordan River. One of those rivers begins in Syria and the other begins in Lebanon. The River Dan begins in Israel. The Jordan River flows into the Sea of Galilee and then out of the Sea of Galilee and comes to an end in the Dead Sea. Getting back to Caesarea Philippi. The cave under the city was serving as a temple for pagan religions. This is where the pagans went to pray to their gods. Their prayer ceremonies were abhorrent and truly awful.
When they were praying for rain they would call upon the gods with ceremonies that included bestiality and child sacrifice. The bodies of the children were thrown into the spring that I mentioned earlier. All that is background for today’s Gospel. Jesus was asking his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And Peter said to him, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” And Jesus said, “You are correct because God has revealed this to you.” Then Jesus blessed him and said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.” In the Greek language the word Peter means rock. In other words, the church will be built upon rock just as the city of Caesarea Philippi was built on top of a rock. Then Jesus said that the Gates of Hell will not prevail against the church. The symbolism was quite clear. The opening to the cave was the opening that represents the Gates of Hell. In other words, the Gates of Hell were right there in full view of the disciples. The cave was the den of iniquity for the pagans to offer their hellish rituals.
So far we have seen the true identity of Jesus and the true identity of Peter. Jesus is the Messiah and Peter is the rock on which the church is built. What about us? What is our true identity? Well, we are the church and we are called to do what Jesus did. So what did Jesus do? Charity and Justice. Those two words summarize his ministry: Charity and Justice. He went from village to village doing works of Charity and works of Justice. Charity means helping those who cannot pay you back. Jesus went forth to serve the lepers and the sick and the lame and the blind and many others who could not pay him back. Justice means distributing the world’s goods so that no one is in need. That is the kind of justice that Jesus called for in Matthew, Chapter 25. Those who have food should share with those who have none. Those who have 2 coats should share with those who have none. Those who have housing should provide housing for those who have none. Jesus was calling the people of his day and the people of our day to distribute the world’s goods so that no one is need. The Messiah was working for charity and justice and he is calling us, his church, to do the same. His Messiahship is his true identity. And our discipleship is our true identity. We serve as his disciples by doing works of charity and justice in our communities today. We pray now for the grace that we need to continue his work of charity and justice in the places where we live and work.