June 20, 2004; The Third Sunday After Pentecost Readings: Zechariah 12:8-10; 13:1; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 9:18-24; Psalm 63:1-8.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith "But who do you say that I am?" Jesus was praying with only the disciples near him. Prayer is an activity that enables us to learn about God and about ourselves. Jesus turns from his prayer to those nearby and asks them: "Who do the crowds say that I am?" Well, Peter replies, the crowds are saying these things about you. Interesting as the crowds’ ideas might be, Jesus then calls on Peter to name his own belief. "But who do you say that I am?" So often we focus on Peter’s answer. It was a good one, an important statement of belief at that point in the story. "The Messiah of God." He named Jesus as being the One who comes—the promised one who brings God’s salvation. So often we focus on Peter’s answer because it is the answer that the church proclaims. It is the answer that has been determined to be correct. We all learned in school that we are rewarded when we have the correct answer. There are wrong answers and there are right answers and you get the higher grade when you get the answer right. Much of life is focused on the end result of one’s efforts. The grade is what counts, or is it? What about the importance of the process? On that day, when Peter came up with his own answer, he had a different one from that the crowd. Today, the church might be considered the crowd. The church presents an answer to the question of faith. And, yet, Jesus still turns to each of us and says, "But who do you say that I am." There is a danger presented by "organized" religion. I might be tempted to say that, "If I can get the right answer from the crowd, no need to engage the question myself." Some students get so focused on the getting the answer right that they are willing to cheat. With the power of the internet at their fingertips, many college students have been found to submit papers that they have acquired but did not write themselves. Why does this happen? Our culture focuses on succeeding and making the grade. With such a focus, one can lose sight of the importance of the process. The same thing can happen in churches. The goal of having a vibrant healthy church can become the focus in a way that distracts us from the process. Questions, change, and conflicts are part of the process of becoming. At the end of the day, relationships that honor the process of becoming posses a certain strengthen of character. A student who gets a lower grade may in fact have learned a great deal by engaging the questions and going through the process. But who do you say that I am? The crowds say this and that. The scripture guides us. Our tradition gives us much to aid our understanding. You come to church and hear the prayers. You receive the sacraments and hear a sermon. All this is part of the process of our growth in knowing the Lord. What we offer each other through the church’s ministry can help us to answer Jesus’ question. "Who do you say that I am?" Not what does the crowd say, but what do you say. In order to answer that question, we need to ask questions. The Episcopal Church’s tradition maintains that questioning is good. It shows that we are engaged in our faith and not passive receptacles of another’s belief. Questions are to be valued as part of the process of becoming. We who seek to answer Jesus’ question are always in the process of becoming. We are becoming members of the Christ’s body. We are becoming God’s people of faith, hope, and love. Change is to be expected. Conflicts will come. New questions will develop. The process continues. God welcomes our growth. How do we get to know someone? How can we answer anyone’s question: "Who do you say that I am?" It takes time. It takes questions. Through conversation and by being in someone’s presence, we come to know a person. Coming to know Jesus is much the same. Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question got much attention. We should not forget the process that got Peter there. He spent time with Jesus; he prayed with Jesus; they eat together; they spread the Good News to others. Their relationship developed over time. As with most relationships it did not always appear to be strong. It was tested. Peter did not always make the grade when tested, but through the process, he learned and his faith developed. "Who do you say that I am?" Hear Jesus ask you this question. What is your answer, and what does that answer lead you to do? How does the answer determine your actions? Being a process, our answer may change or the place the answer leads us may change. We may find ourselves losing the lives that we have known in order to find our lives. No matter where the answer leads, Jesus will be with us guiding us in the process of becoming. Amen.