[00:00:05] Hello! My name is Sally Moriarty-Flask; welcome to: From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible study podcast. Together we will explore the readings to be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, September 15, 2024, the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
[00:00:23] This week's episode is entitled: Being True Followers, and in these readings, we’ll ask ourselves, who do WE say that Jesus is? And do we really believe it?
[00:00:35] As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following: Is our faith alive, vibrant, and active?
[00:00:45] So let's begin with prayer. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:00:50] Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for the gift of this day, for the gift of this time together. We ask for the strength to deny our self-centered, selfish needs, the courage to take up our own individual crosses, and the fortitude to be true followers, no matter where you lead us, we know that the journey won't be easy - but we ask you to increase our faith so that we can stay true to the example given to us by Jesus and be generous and loving to everyone we encounter. And we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:01:28] Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the scriptures.
[00:01:34] Our Gospel this week is from Mark 8: 27-35.
[00:01:40] “Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare’a Philip’pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do men say that I am?’ And they told him,’ John the Baptist; and others say, Eli’jah; and others one of the prophets.’ And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’
[00:02:00] Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, ’Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.’
[00:02:36] And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.’”
[00:03:00] This passage is found toward the end of chapter 8 and serves as the hinge in Mark's Gospel separating into two halves. Up to this time, Jesus has been teaching, preaching and healing throughout the area around the Sea of Galilee - that's the first half. Now he begins his journey to Jerusalem, where he will be crucified - and that's the second half. And this particular section is aptly called the Travel Narrative.
[00:03:32] It's important to remember here that this journey to Jerusalem is both geographical and spiritual.
[00:03:41] So Mark tells us, “Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare’a Philip’pi.”
[00:03:49] Now, Caesare’a Philip’pi is in the foothills of Mount Hermon, about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee… and that's important because it's the location of the Banias spring.
[00:04:02] The Banias, along with the Dan and the Hasbani, form the waters that feed into the Sea of Galilee, which, of course, at its southern end empties into the Jordan river, which flows south out of the Sea of Galilee and ends in the Dead Sea (which is the lowest point on earth). Now, this area of Caesare’a Philip’pi was a largely pagan area and was, according to ancient tradition, devoted to the worship of the Greek god Pan. But at the time of Jesus, this area had a Jewish temple and villages that were built by Herod the Great. It was named Caesare’a to honor Caesar Augustus and Philip’pi to honor Philip the Tetrarch, the son of Herod the Great and the ruler of the area at that time.
[00:04:54] And it was also Caesare’a Philip’pi to distinguish it from the city of Caesare’a Maritima, which is a seaport on Israel's west coast that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea.
[00:05:06] If you would like to see photos of those two cities from my trip to Israel, you'll find them on this week's Instagram post, so take a look at those.
[00:05:17] Now, Jesus and his disciples are “on the way,” Mark tells us. Now, remember, the way was the first common name for Christianity - for the following of Christ. And “on the way [Jesus] asked his disciples, ‘Who do men say that I am?’” So basically, what's the gossip? What's the skinny? What kind of things are people saying about me? They “told him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Eli’jah; and others one of the prophets.’” So, the apostles have answers to offer Jesus. Here's the gossip that's going around about you. Some say your John the Baptist returned. Now, remember, John the Baptist was a relative of Jesus who, by this time, had already been beheaded. Others say that you are Eli’jah, which is significant because Eli’jah is supposed to return before the Messiah comes. And lastly, still others say one of the prophets, so in other words, a prophet - other than Eli’jah - which would allow Jesus’ followers (those multitudes of crowds) to believe what he… that he… speaks for God as a prophet… but he's maybe not quite as important or significant as Eli’jah. Then Jesus puts his own disciples on the spot. “He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’” Now that is a really huge question, isn't it? Who do the apostles say that Jesus is? He's asking that very same question of us today. Who do WE say that Jesus is?
[00:06:56] And that question is one that must be answered by each and every one of us individually, in our hearts, in our minds, and through our actions.
[00:07:06] “Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ.’” Now, this event occurs only in Mark and Matthew. And remember, Mark was a disciple of Peter… so this account is really told from Peter's point of view. And the word Christ, in Greek: Christos, in Hebrew: Meshiah or Messiah, means anointed one.
[00:07:30] We can see that Mark's account is very short, sweet, and to the point. While Matthew's account is a little more detailed, you might want to look that up to see the comparison.
[00:07:40] After Peter's declaration, Jesus “charged them to tell no one about him.”
[00:07:47] This is yet another occasion of what is called the Messianic Secret in Mark's Gospel. And remember, the point of the Messianic Secret is so that people don't follow Jesus simply because he's a wonder worker.
[00:08:01] Mark then goes on to say, “and he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things.”
[00:08:09] And with these words, we enter into the section of Mark's Gospel where Jesus begins teaching his disciples about the type of Messiah he will be. He is to be the Suffering Servant first described by the prophet Isaiah… and we'll hear part of that in our First Reading… but he is NOT the conquering hero that the Jews were hoping for and, in fact, expecting at that time.
[00:08:39] He is NOT someone who will overthrow the Roman overlords… he is NOT a victorious king whose reign will usher in a new age of peace and prosperity for Israel. No, no, no. Instead, he will be the Suffering Servant.
[00:08:57] And what does that mean? It means he will “be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes.”
[00:09:06] Those three groups make up the Sanhedrin, which is the highest Jewish authority at the time. So, he'll “be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”
[00:09:22] These words are intended to let his disciples know that his mission - Jesus’ mission - will not end in death, but in glory… in the glory of the Resurrection.
[00:09:35] Mark says, “he said this plainly.” When Jesus speaks to his disciples now, he is abandoning the parables he taught to the crowds and speaking clearly and plainly. Jesus has always explained the parables to his disciples, especially if they asked, but now it's different… this time, and going forward, it's different.
[00:10:00] The veil of the Messianic Secret is being lifted FOR THEM, and they must learn to accept his identity as the Suffering Servant so as to understand his destiny: his Passion, Death and Resurrection.
[00:10:19] Now remember, Mark's Gospel is told from Peter's point of view, which is why I really appreciate this next section. “And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, [Jesus] rebuked Peter, and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.’” I am always astounded by those words. They show us Peter's honesty and humility… they tell us that Peter, even in hindsight, even after the events took place, Peter set aside his own pride.
[00:10:57] He didn't try to hide what he had said or what Jesus said to him. He didn't try to make what he did sound any better. In total honesty, he related his words to the apostle Mark - and the events as they transpired - and Mark recorded them in his Gospel. Now, the “get behind me” part means follow me; don't try to lead. You don't know where I'm going, so you're just going to have to trust me. And the term “Satan” - don't misunderstand this! Jesus doesn't use that as a name for the devil… we do. That wasn't his intent here. In this instance, the term means adversary. If you've read the Book of Job, we encounter that same adversary there. So, don't assume that Jesus is putting Peter in a bad light… or in a bad position… or classifying him as an enemy. That is not it at all. Now, these next lines are so important.
[00:12:04] “He called to him the multitude with his disciples.” Jesus here calls the crowds.
[00:12:12] All are invited! He's not just inviting the crowds of people following him at the time. No, no, no. He's inviting us as well. “He called to him the multitude.” Then he goes on to explain… discipleship has a cost.
[00:12:29] Jesus “said to them, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” In other words, this doesn't happen by accident.
[00:12:40] This is a choice that each one of us must make on his or her own, and it doesn't happen in a vacuum. We have to make a decision… and that decision has consequences. If our decision is to stay with Jesus, to follow him, to be his disciple, we have to do all three things: #1 - we have to deny ourselves; #2 - we have to take up our cross; and #3 - we have to follow him… all three things.
[00:13:13] If our decision is not to follow Jesus, it's simple. We walk away.
[00:13:19] Now, that choice at the time, may seem to be the safer one, but that choice has ETERNAL consequences. Jesus goes on, “For whoever would save his life will lose it.” Those words may seem illogical, but stick with me.
[00:13:43] What Jesus is really trying to convey here is that whatever we try to build in this life, whatever monuments we try to erect to our own vanity, whatever things we accumulate in this life, we must leave behind. We cannot take with us money, power, influence, or possessions when we die. So, the more we try to hold on to that life of accumulated things, the less we will have of what really matters. The only thing that will accompany us into the next life are our deeds, our actions, how we treat people, how kind, generous, and loving we are. Or conversely, how stubborn, prideful, or greedy we are. Those things will accompany us into the next life. And those actions, be they good or evil, are what will speak to God of how we lived our lives. Remember, faith is the beginning of the journey, not an end in itself. When we accept God's gift of faith, then we accept everything else that comes with that gift, all the advantages we receive in this life and the next, but also all the responsibilities to act as Jesus’ disciples. So, “whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” In other words, do good while you can!
[00:15:20] Matthew in Chap. 6 puts it, “store up treasure in heaven.” Do good while you can and don't, for even one second, imagine that following Jesus means you are just going along for the ride. We are not passive spectators! If we decide to follow Jesus, we must go where he goes... we must follow where he leads… and he has very clearly explained that his destination is the Cross. So, that still leaves us with the question, who do WE say that Jesus is? And do we really believe it? Is our faith vibrant, alive and active? Or are we just going along for the ride?
[00:16:08] Bishop Robert Barron has repeatedly said, and I have repeatedly quoted him, that either Jesus is who he says he is, or he is a very bad man. Either he really is the Son of God, or he is a liar and a dangerous lunatic. We each have to answer the question of Jesus’ identity for ourselves.
[00:16:30] We each have to make the choice whether or not to follow him. But he is equally clear that following him is not going to be easy.
[00:16:42] That brings us to our First Reading, which is Isaiah 50: 5-9a. “The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious. I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty?”
[00:17:36] Before I go in more depth into this particular passage, I would like to talk briefly about the Book of Isaiah, in general, and tie that to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Now, just by way of reminder, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in a cave in the Qumran area in 1946 (cave 1 to be exact, as they were later numbered). Specifically, several large clay jars were discovered in that cave and others in the surrounding hills. These jars were found to contain many documents. Some of the documents were related to the daily life of the community that lived in that area of the desert, and some of those documents were scriptures used by the members of the Qumran community. Most significant of all the documents discovered there was the Great Isaiah Scroll, which is the oldest copy of Isaiah that has ever been unearthed; it dates from around 125 BC.
[00:18:39] It is also the most complete copy of any ancient scripture ever discovered, and it contains all or part of each of the 66 chapters of Isaiah. A replica of that scroll is on display in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, and I was fortunate enough to tour the museum and see the replica. Now, photography is not allowed inside the museum, so I don't have any pictures from there, but I will post a picture of the outside of the museum on this week's Instagram post along with the other pictures I've already mentioned. All of the scrolls that were discovered have been digitized and are available online, so I would highly recommend that you search for, and examine, those Digital Dead Sea Scrolls. They truly are breathtaking! Now back to Isaiah. There are four Suffering Servant songs in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, and today's is the third out of those four.
[00:19:42] This passage is found in Second Isaiah, which is comprised of chapters 40 to 55. Second Isaiah was likely not written by the prophet himself, but by one of his disciples. It was composed during the exile in Babylon, and it predicts the return of the people to Jerusalem and the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. It's clear why this reading is paired with the Gospel…
[00:20:10] Mark tells us that Jesus is beginning to teach his disciples that his path is to be a Suffering Servant, not a conquering hero. This Suffering Servant song has a structure reminiscent of a traditional Thanksgiving Psalm, which has three distinct elements: the first is a recitation of the distress experienced by the author, the second is an affirmation of God's actions and their goodness, and the third is the vindication of the author. So, let's go through how these elements are found in this passage. First, the distress: “The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” On the one hand, we need to realize that these words were spoken directly to the Jews in captivity, and they were intended to encourage them by explaining that the Suffering Servant is one who is faithful to the covenant, no matter what he encountered, and that THEY were actually Suffering Servants in their captivity in Babylon, and they too must be faithful to the covenant, no matter the challenges or difficulties that they faced. Now, on the other hand, anyone… anyone who has read the account of Jesus’ appearance before Pilate and Herod and his treatment at the hands of the Roman soldiers has to recognize Jesus in these words… they have to hear the echoes of those events. Now let's hear the affirmation section, the description of the goodness of God's actions: “For the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.”
[00:22:27] Clearly this section describes all that God does for the Suffering Servant - the Jews that are in captivity. The Lord God helps me… I shall not be put to shame… my vindicator is near… he will stand with us… let my adversary approach, if he dares. In other words, as long as the exiles are faithful to the covenant, God will be with them.
[00:22:54] We should see the absolute faithfulness of Jesus in these words as well. Jesus knew the Father's will and was obedient to it, even to the point of his Death on the Cross. Lastly, of course, is the section - very short in this instance - of vindication: “Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?”
Again, as long as the exiles are faithful to the covenant, God will be with them. “Behold, the Lord God helps me” and because of him they will experience a new Exodus, a return to their ancestral home, and restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Now, when we look at these words through the lens of the New Testament, we see Jesus on the Cross being mocked by the chief priests and the Roman soldiers… but we also know that is not the end of the story. Who will declare Jesus guilty? Well, many will try, but God the Father will be there through it all… just as he is for us… just as Jesus is for us. And no matter what we go through, Jesus has already suffered more than we will ever suffer.
[00:24:17] So the Psalm this week is Psalm 116, and the response is: “I walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” And here are the verses. “I love the LORD because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD: ‘O LORD, I beg you, save my life!’ Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.”
[00:25:15] Now Psalm 116 is an Individual Prayer of Thanksgiving, and so it possesses the same three elements that we identified when we went through the Suffering Servant song in Isaiah. Unfortunately, the verses don't necessarily line up numerically with the three elements, so I will jump around and classify them for you. So, the first, the recitation of distress, is actually verses 3-4: “The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD: ‘O LORD, I beg you, save my life!’” So, the snares of death, the pangs of Sheol, those are the pain that are being suffered that causes distress and anguish. Sheol, by the way, is an ancient biblical idea of hell, and in all of that the author calls on the Lord. Then we find the second element, the affirmation of God's goodness in verses 1 & 2 and 5 & 6: “I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.” So, everything bad that happened, the Lord was there - with all of his good actions, with all of his mercy, with all of his goodness - to lift me up. And then finally, we find the third element, the vindication of the author, which is actually in verses 8-9: “For thou hast delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” So that is that vindication: I have been delivered… I'm no longer in tears. My feet don't stumble… I'm strong…. I can go on, and I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. So, in the restoration in Jerusalem, certainly, but also in eternal life. So, it's evident why this Psalm is paired with the First Reading and the Gospel.
[00:27:37] Now, however, let's take a look at our Second Reading. This passage is from the letter of Saint James 2: 14-18.
[00:27:49] “What does it profit, [My Brothers and Sisters,] if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But some one will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.”
[00:28:29] Now, this is the 3rd of 5 passages we're hearing from James. There are a couple of things I want to mention before we delve more deeply into this passage. The first is the reminder that James is writing to a Christian community that is heavily influenced by a very worldly culture.
[00:28:48] That certainly applies to us, too, as we are mightily influenced by our modern culture: by television, movies, music, social media. And it's more difficult for us to ignore because it's at our fingertips all the times with our smartphones, our tablets, and our computers. The second thing we need to understand is that this passage unwittingly drags us back into the old faith vs. works argument.
[00:29:18] Anyone familiar with the Protestant Reformations and the writings of Martin Luther is also intimately familiar with this age-old debate - faith versus works - which many, over the years, have taken to mean Lutheran vs. Catholic. And having just read through it, we can see why this passage - in particular - might raise that issue. Martin Luther, of course, wanted the letter of Saint James left completely out of the canon of scripture (which is the accepted list of books that comprise the Bible), because Luther called the letter of James ”a book of straw.” In his essay entitled: On the Freedom of a Christian, Luther wrote: “There is nothing, either in heaven or on earth, through which the soul can live and be pious, free, and Christian, besides the holy gospel.” Okay, I understand that statement… that is Luther proclaiming sola fides, which is Latin for faith alone, saying that faith alone saves us. Okay, I get what he's saying. As a Catholic, I disagree with Luther's assertion, but I understand that it's based on his rejection of Catholic Tradition and the Teaching Authority of the Church – so, while I understand his point of view, I also disagree with it on some level. In other writings, Luther argued that: “the very love a Christian has for God, who has freed him, also binds him to act according to his will” - okay, got that one, too! If we love God and we're thankful for his gift of eternal salvation, we will do his will. Okay, makes sense! Now, here's where I run into some difficulty, because I think Luther contradicts himself. Going back to: On the Freedom of a Christian, Luther writes: “just as faith makes one pious, so it also makes one do good works” and “he does them gratuitously and freely out of love, to please God” yet elsewhere, Luther writes that: “works are dead things.” So, this is why I tend to struggle with some of Luther's writings and why I think he contradicts himself on the whole faith vs. works debate. I firmly believe that - in our modern times - if a Catholic were to sit down with a Lutheran to discuss the merits of the gift of salvation freely given to us by God AND the merits of doing good works in the world, the Catholic and the Lutheran would find, and have found, that they agree heartily on their understanding of both concepts. So perhaps it's time for us to put to rest, once and for all, the whole faith vs. works debate. Regardless, it does still linger. And so we're going to put that off to the side at the moment and delve into what James is actually saying here: “What does it profit, [My Brothers and Sisters,] if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?” Well, the answer is yes, our faith does save us - at least it gets us in the ballpark… it makes us participants - but… remember what we talked about at the end of our Gospel passage from Mark… that all we get to take with us when we stand before God at the end of our earthly existence is our deeds, hopefully our good works! So, if anyone stands before God and says: yep, I believed in you, but I never did anything good for my neighbor… how do you think he or she will be judged? Then James goes on to present a very concrete situation to his readers - very straightforward, very black and white, with no room for ambiguity or evasion: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?” In other words, what good are good wishes alone when someone's needs are immediate, material, and substantial? James answers his own question with the following statement: “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” You can see why Luther wasn't a big fan of James… James says that faith, without works, is dead - and out of all of Luther's writings, the concept most heavily quoted is that “works are dead things.” So how do we reconcile those two viewpoints?
[00:33:50] Again, I think we have to look at this from the perspective of meeting God at the end of our lives. Think back to what I talked about at the end of today's Gospel, if we take our deeds with us to Jesus as proof… as evidence… of our faith - and we have no good deeds to offer - what are we left with? What benefit is that to us? And how will we be judged? The reading goes on, “but some one will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’” I think this is where the whole debate goes off the rails, because I personally don't think you can successfully separate the two - faith and works. I think they are inextricably entwined! And James ends his passage with: “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.” So, I think in the end, it comes down to one simple thing that is summed up in the Judgment of the Nations section in Matthew 25, where Jesus says to the sheep that are entering his kingdom… “as you did it to one of these, least of my brethren, you did it to me” but he declares to the goats that are being sent to eternal punishment… “as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.” And that's, of course, just the end of each section… but think back to everything that's described in there: do we provide for the needs of people that are most in need? Do we give them food and clothing? Water? Do we visit people that are sick? Do we visit people that are in prison? Do we provide for the needs of those that are on the margins, that are on the outcasts? Those are the good deeds that we are being asked to present to Jesus at the end of our lives and on which we will be judged. So that brings us, finally, back to the question we started out with. Who do WE say that Jesus is? And do we truly believe it? And if we do, are the actions that we undertake in this world indicative of a faith that is alive, vibrant and active?
[00:36:21] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at
[email protected]. Thank you for listening and until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand.
[00:36:41] From His Word to Our Hearts is a production of SFS Audio Solutions. The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask. Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with permission of the composer. All rights reserved.
[00:36:58] Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request. Thank you for listening and God bless.
