Sun 30 Aug

There are many things if we are honest with ourselves that we do not understand. The mobile phone you have in your hand, do you understand how it works? Do you understand how a computer works? Do you understand fire? Why does it keep burning? We could keep going but there are many things we do not understand.

The early followers of Jesus had difficulty in understanding who He was. Just when they thought they had Jesus figured out, He would go and do something that would amaze them. Often it would be against what they thought or believed. He would heal people who they thought did not deserve it. It showed something of His grace and their lack of it. He would feed thousands. He would calm storms and the list of what He could do just got longer and longer.

Even though He kept doing these things the more He did them the more their understanding kept expanding of who Jesus is. It did not mean they had complete understanding. We see something of their lack of understanding in today’s reading.

Jesus told His followers that He must suffer, die, and rise from the dead. That did not fit with their thinking of a Messiah who would toss out the Roman Occupying Army. What good is a dead Messiah? He is of no help to anyone. They still had plenty to learn and understand of who Jesus is. What about ourselves? How is your understanding of Jesus growing? There is much that each of us have to learn!