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Wondering Pilgrim

~ the ramblings of a perambulent and often distracted sojourner

Wondering Pilgrim

Tag Archives: Peter

Identity crisis?

23 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by wonderingpilgrim in Personal, Spirituality, theology

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Good Confession, identity, Peter

who-do-you-say-i-am_std_t_nvSometimes over-familiar bible passages throw out a surprise. Today’s text  from Mark’s Gospel follows the meme we grew up calling the “Good Confession.” Jesus asks his disciples “Who do you say I am?” and Peter makes the “good confession” – “You are the Messiah [Christ].”

The surprise is being asked to consider whether we are to understand this exchange as Jesus testing his disciples to see whether they’ve “got it” yet, or whether he was seeking affirmation for himself.

In this modern era, the expectation is that we are creators of our own destinies, highlighting the freedom of the individual to pick and choose their path.

In previous days, one’s identity was formed primarily by their extended family, or tribe, or cultural group. The ascendancy of the concept of the individual is a much later thing. This cast’s Jesus two questions “Who do people say I am?” and “Who do you say I am?” in a much different light. It increases our awareness of his vulnerability. He is reliant on those around him, those who have become part of his following, to grant him his identity. We are in the part of Mark’s Gospel where he has firmly established himself as a well known public figure whose message is in direct contradiction of that of the Empire.

For him to carry this consciousness through to its costly conclusion requires an affirmation from beyond his inner awareness. Peter supplies it.

Once Peter realises the implications and the cost and tries to divert Jesus from his course, Jesus rebukes him. The power of recognition in the words “You are the Christ” is too strong to resist.

We should think twice before making the “Good Confession,” for once uttered it can’t be taken back without great cost, and once uttered it requires great cost to follow through.

Lenten Voices: The Harrowing of Hell

21 Saturday Feb 2015

Posted by wonderingpilgrim in Personal

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Christ, death, harrowing of hell, Lent, new creation, Peter, Resurrection

Medieval Passion plays made much of the visit of the crucified and triumphant Jesus to rescue the trapped ancestors from Hell. It is the ultimate “in your face” to the defeated powers of oppression, chaos and annihilation. Hell has no lasting power.
It’s in 1 Peter 3:18-22. The Lenten journey to Good Friday will always be tempered by the knowledge of resurrection and new creation.
M
editate on this.

 

Advent Voices – Peter

06 Saturday Dec 2014

Posted by wonderingpilgrim in Spirituality

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Advent, patience, Peter

St. Peter Preaching the Gospel in the Catacombs by Jan Styka, Public Domain

St. Peter Preaching the Gospel in the Catacombs by Jan Styka, Public Domain

In a world that is growing increasingly dystopian, the realisation of the realm of shalom ushered in by Jesus seems to be getting further and further away, or perhaps being driven further underground. “Patience!” counsels Peter to his persecuted community: “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.”

In the meantime? “Strive to be at peace, without spot or blemish.” Maintain focus on the Way you have been called to walk, no matter the obstacles, distractions and disappointments. Cultivate patience as part of the process towards the sacred vision that awaits fulfilment.

Peter picked a permanent positive pistuous posture

07 Sunday Aug 2011

Posted by wonderingpilgrim in Spirituality, theology

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Gospel of Matthew, Peter, postaday2011, walking on water

Christ and Simon-Peter walking on water. Wall ...

Image via Wikipedia

A variant on Peter picked a pepper?

No – just some leftovers from this morning’s ruminations on the Gospel of Matthew’s account of Peter walking on the water and sinking.

I would never dare use such a pretentious alliterative phrase anywhere else but here. I reiterate the view, however, that Peter was not being typically stupid and impetuous in acting as he did. This story did the rounds of the early Christian communities for a reason – and it had nothing to do with tripping the light fantastic across the waves.

It is about ultimate trust. You can stay in the safety of the boat or clamber out and walk on the midnight terror that buffets your worst fears and anxieties. Peter tried the latter and found himself beginning to be overwhelmed. The fact that he refocused on the  “I am” in the person of Jesus vindicated his initial impulse, however.

The failure of Peter was not that he tried the impossible and sank. His failure was in reaching out to express a movement towards higher consciousness and discovering it requires even greater effort in trusting that which pulls one forward.

Maybe not a failure at all when you consider the alternative of remaining and cowering paralysed with fear in the boat!

One of many considerations to winkle out of this very evocative passage.

-31.911079 115.772731

Movie Dipping

15 Monday Sep 2008

Posted by wonderingpilgrim in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

9/11, aggression, cinema, conflict, film, forgiveness, Jesus, movies, Peter, reconciliation, war

How could two films be so different yet so similar? I saw them randomly and almost back to back (give or take a week or two). Both drama/comedies, both dealing with the paradoxical art and escapism of cinema, both unconsciously aware that the “acting out” before the camera mirrored the real life dramas of the central characters, both reflecting narrative movements from alienation through conflict to reconciliation and resolution, and both focused on that iconic war of the late 20th century in Vietnam. Yet one was a spoof (that was hardly worth the ticket) and the other a warm-hearted “feel-good” that lingers. I remarked in yesterday’s sermon that the cinema is a good indicator of the mood of the age. Some films are discerning a cultural yearning for the reclamation of community building and reconciliation in the face of the enmity and rancour that has embittered and dehumanised the community since 9/11. Maybe two seemingly disparate stories are using archetypes with a contemporary face to give expression to the reality behind Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21. Jesus’ reply is even more shocking and compelling.

Oh! – the films are Tropic Thunder and Son of Rambow . Visit MRQE for a host of reviews

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