GOSPEL REFLECTION, FRIDAY, 25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026

Luke 9:18-22.  We come to a major turning point in Luke’s gospel in our reading today.  Its placement is revealing.  It comes right after the feeding of the five thousand, and right before an important saying by Jesus regarding discipleship.

People had failed to recognise who Jesus really was at the feeding of the five thousand, according to John (6:14).  They did think that he was “the prophet” who would come to rule an earthly kingdom.  Nor did the crowds recognise Jesus in the feeding of the five thousand, despite the sign of the Kingdom and its miraculous abundance Jesus had provided.  Indeed, so far in the gospels nobody had recognised Jesus as Son of God or Messiah other than the demons who cried his name as they were exorcised.  Jesus silenced them. 

Now in today’s gospel, Jesus had taken the disciples aside with him so that he could pray.  In their midst he prayed, but there is no word of what the disciples were doing at the same time.  One wonders what they were up to!  Jesus then turned to the Twelve and asked them two penetrating questions.  First he asked, “who people say that I am?”  They answered that people had various understandings or ideas of who Jesus really was – some of them said they thought he was John  the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets come back to life.  Despite all of Jesus’ teaching of the crowds and the miracles he had done in their presence they failed so far to see that he was the Messiah, the Christ.  So far, despite their close connection to Jesus, none of the disciples had come to understand.

Now Jesus asked the Twelve, “but who do YOU say that I am?”  Peter as the leader of them answered, “the Messiah [Greek “Christos”= “The Anointed One”] of God!”  At last!  They had now made a major turning point in understanding who Jesus REALLY was.  This is so important, because they had already set out on their long journey to Jerusalem, and it was essential that they understood.  Jesus as Christ of God, Messiah of God, already knew that he was to die there, but the disciples did not yet.  They had BEGUN to understand, but it was not until after the passion and resurrection that they fully understood.

The revelation of who Jesus really was developed slowly among the disciples over time, just as their faith and commitment did.  And so it is in us, as we journey over a lifetime as Jesus’ disciples in the present day.