8-23-26, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
In last week ‘s gospel, we saw Jesus leading his disciples into the pagan territories of Sidon and Tyra to teach a lesson. Last week, it was to teach them that God‘s house, is a house of prayer for everybody, Jew, and non-Jew alike. This week he leads them into an area known as Caesarea Philippi. This was a gentile area North of Israel, where people worshiped all sorts of different gods Roman, Greek, et al. In this area away far from the Jewish authorities and the criticisms of the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus wants his disciples to see him in a new light. So, first he asks them “Who do others say that I am.” It is interesting that in their answers they...