Pentecost 16
Tapiwa Huggins Gusha

MARK 8:27-38

A very good morning to you all. I would like to thank God through your Canonical Committee for entrusting me with the responsibility of coordinating worship in this parish. Its really an honour for my family and me to be part of this great Parish. Whoever was responsible for setting up the Canonical Committee did a great job; I can confess that they were very thorough. I would also like to thank everyone in this parish for welcoming us to our new home, Winnipeg. Your hospitality augers well with what’s on your vehicle registration plate; “friendly Manitoba”.  Thank you for being good ambassadors. Allow me to thank my predecessor Rev Donna for the job she did while being the Rector in this parish. In this regard I will not leave out my fellow clergy persons: Dean Rod, Rev Mary and Rev Shelagh. Last but not least, I thank all of you for your commitment to the ministry that God has called you to undertake in this extraordinary Parish.

Now, let's turn our focus to the Gospel reading of today, Mark 8: 29, “Who do people say that I am”, But “who do you say I am” In the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I am somehow surprised why Jesus this time around seems to be concerned about revealing his identity, because one of the dominant themes in the Gospel of Mark is the Messianic secret. The Jesus in Mark seemed not to be comfortable in revealing his identity. Whenever he healed an individual he would say, “don’t tell anyone” but this time around he is asking a question to do with his identity, “Who do people say I am, and who do you say I am”.

One disturbing thing in this passage is that Jesus is asking this question to people who have been closely following him for over two years. I want us to realize that, all along, Jesus has been ministering in a friendly Galilea and now he is heading Southwards towards Jerusalem, the centre of hostility, the centre of opposition. Only those who understood who Jesus was, would stand and endure the hostility of Jerusalem. Friends, we strive to be friendly but it is a fact that we are living in a very hostile world; on top of bad governments, terrorism, now we have the pandemic. Only those who understand who Jesus is will stand and endure the world's hostility.

“Some say you are John the Baptist, others say you are Elijah and some say that you are one of the Prophets”. Peoples responses were driven by prejudice, what they know already. Their judgements were informed by their experiences.

Since the establishment of this Parish, you have had about 12 Rectors but, as a parish, Mark is reminding us that Tapiwa is not John the Baptist, nor Elijah nor one of those prophets, he is Tapiwa. Equally the same, since my ordination, I have been a minister in five Parishes and St Peters in the 6th one, Mark is reminding me today that St Peters is not Elijah, nor John the Baptist, nor one of those prophets, but it is St Peters.

“But who do you say I am”, Jesus turned focus from what people think about him to what the disciples themselves think about him. In other words Jesus, was saying to the disciples, “I’m not worried about these other people but about you because you are my close companions and your commitment as we get into the hostile Jerusalem is going to be determined by your understanding of who am I". My brothers and sisters in Christ, being a Christian in this hostile world is a call to serious commitment. Our future is not necessarily determined by our previous experiences but by who Jesus is in our lives. Instead of me investing in understanding who St Peters is, I will invest in understanding who Jesus is in the context of St Peters. I would think you should do the same, instead of investing in understanding who Tapiwa is, you rather invest in understanding what Jesus want to teach you through Tapiwa.

May God bless and guide us in the journey we have started. In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.