Saying that Jesus is the Christ is easy enough. Living that affirmation is more challenging, as Peter learns in today’s gospel reading.

Jesus seems to be in an introspective mood. Not only does he ask his disciples about who people think he is, but he also asks them very directly, who they think he is. Sometimes, events in our day-to-day life address that question directly at us: “But you, who do you say I am?”

We may find ourselves living through a terminal illness with someone close to us and wonder what God is saying through it all. Or it may be the sudden death of a young person and we ask, “Why Lord?” Who do we say Jesus is at those crunch times?

In today’s gospel Jesus tells us who he is. He says he is “destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and to be put to death”. Peter found this difficult to accept, as difficult as we find it to accept suffering in our own lives.

As children we were taught that when we are good, everything works out all right. As we grow older, we come to understand that life and our relationship with Jesus is not so simple. One of my favourite childhood poems is What the Little Bird Thought learnt from the West Indian Reader.

As the little bird moved from egg, to nest, to being able to fly around, its concept of the world changed. Jesus’ question to the disciples is an invitation to us to look again at our image of him.

In his introspective mood Jesus looks at himself and he does so among the people closest to him, those with whom he interacts. In our own lives we sometimes have a distorted view of who we are.

As a teacher there have been times when I realise that my own image of what I am trying to be with my students is not the image that they see. Sometimes hearing who they say I am has helped me to adjust the way I interact with them.

In the gospel readings of the last few weeks, we see Jesus the teacher at work. In today’s gospel we are told: “He called the people and the disciples to him...”

That image of Jesus as teacher, a self-confident teacher is one that I admire. It is as though the affirmation he received from Peter, built his self-confidence. When Peter remonstrated with him, Jesus seemed impelled to give this teaching.

Lord, we often encounter challenges along our route, challenges, that make us, reflect on who you are.
Often, at the time we cannot thank you for the experience.
Later, we are able to look back and see how we have come to know you a little better. Our world is no longer made of shell, but of leaves.
Thank You Lord.
Lord, forgive us that sometimes we do not know who you are to us.
Forgive us that we sometimes learn nothing from our day-to-day experiences. We do not come to know you any better.
Instead like Peter we begin to remonstrate with you when we suffer and are rejected by the elders and chief priests.
Forgive us too that sometimes we bargain with you and make promises we sometimes cannot keep.
Forgive us that we expect to rise again after three days, without being rejected and put to death.
Lord, help us as leaders and as teachers to listen to the words of those around us. Give us the confidence to call the people and the disciples to us and teach them about life and about you.
Thank You Lord, for those deep experiences that change our relationship with you. Sometimes we are not able to share them with anyone. They too, on their journey to Caesarea Phillipi, would have experiences that touch them in another way.
Lord, it is not always easy to renounce ourselves, take up our cross and follow you. Help us in our everyday life to take up our cross, knowing that we will rise again.

Helena Allum is a teacher at Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive and a free-lance writer with the Catholic News