A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 12 – A

August 27, 2017

Matthew 16:13-20 - NRSV

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[a] the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter,[b] and on this rock[c] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was[d] the Messiah.[e]

Footnotes:

Matthew 16:16 Or the Christ

Matthew 16:18 Gk Petros

Matthew 16:18 Gk petra

Matthew 16:20 Other ancient authorities add Jesus

Matthew 16:20 Or the Christ

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 12 – A

Caesarea Philippi

Why this mountain, Jesus,

Caesar’s Fortress?

Why here where

Peter declares you;

‘Messiah, Son of the living God.’?

That is Caesar’s name;

that is his first century claim:

‘Divine Emperor – Son of God.’

Have we through the years

missed the point

lavishing Peter’s confession

with spiritual ointment;

taking away

the sting of treason?

Treason

is not that the reason

you were executed

on the

cross?

How oft we collude

with our country’s powers

hesitating to confess

allegiance to you

at critical hours.

We’d rather align

with Caesar

and our Empire.

Yet you aspire

to defy Caesar

and all empires

with your cry

from the cross.

Liberation marks the Church –

Ekklesia – the called out community –

given birth to liberate all people,

to live in God’s reign,

a Kingdom of justice

toppling Caesar’s domain.

Dare we preach and defy the Empire;

shout from Caesar’s mount

and inspire our faith community

to live the Kingdom now;

to be the community of liberation

freeing those in bondage in our nation?

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