GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 8:29
Who do you say I am?
One of the great missionaries of the Western Christian Church was Ignatius of Loyola. As a young man, Ignatius was a fancy dresser. He walked about armed, sensitive to slights, often fighting duels, gambling, pursuing young women, and dreaming of fame. He patterned his life after the warrior heroes. He joined the military forces of the Duke of Najera, and on May 29, 1521, in the Battle of Pamplona, a ricocheting cannonball broke his right leg. Taken back to the family’s castle in Loyola, he endured several operations to repair his leg, in which his bones were set, rebroken, and set again—without any anesthetic. In the end, his right leg was shorter than the other, and he walked with a limp for the rest of his life.
During his convalescence, the only book he had to read from the castle’s sparse supply was the Life of Christ by Ludolph of Saxony, one of the mystical biographies of Christ popular at the time. He came to faith in Christ and committed himself to Christ’s service. He and six friends later founded the Society of Jesus and dedicated themselves to His service.
Ignatius’ conversion is only one of billions who have come to acknowledge Christ as the Messiah. St. Mark said that in Caesarea Philippi, surrounded by cultic shrines and practices, the disciples told Jesus that there were many questions about his identity. Then Jesus turned the question to them. “And he asked them, ‘But you—who do you say I am?’ Answering, Peter said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’” (8:29) Peter, likely relating this story to Mark, remembered that day as the pivotal moment in his relationship with the Messiah. Jesus’ question is still essential: “Who do you say that I am?”
Surrounded by enticements similar to those of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus’ question is as poignant as ever. Many cultic practices—some of them dressed in the mantle of Christianity—call for commitment. Interpretations of natural phenomena—many of them founded on circular reasoning—question the existence of God. Social movements—many based on hedonism—tempt audiences. Jesus’ question is still applicable: “But you—who do you say I am?”
Previous
Next
Directory