"Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

Jesus asked this question in the Gospel reading and we see how His identity is divided - as John the Baptist come alive, Elijah and even Jeremiah and one of the prophets. So, it is obvious that the people did not see Jesus as the Messiah. Yet Jesus was not content about what the ordinary people thought but what the disciples thought. Peter's confession of faith in this instance, became the occasion for a 'beatitude' that is Peter was 'blessed' because the Father had revealed the truth to him. (Mt. 11:25-27) for such knowledge could not have originated from human insight. With this confession, Peter was called to be the 'rock' - metaphor for God, Israel and Abraham. Such an appointment was to be understood in the context of Jesus' passion prediction which lays the foundation for a structure of the community around Peter.

Today we are challenged to reflect on 'leadership' in our community which is validated if it is based on the kind of fidelity shown by Peter. It is one that entails servant-hood like that of Jesus, the Suffering Servant. However, this was not what Peter thought of as a human person. Yet this stumbling block became a foundation stone after Jesus' resurrection.