TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
3 SEPTEMBER 2023
Last
Sunday, Simon Peter correctly identified the identity of Jesus of
Nazareth: “The Christ, the Son of the
living God”. Jesus affirmed his answer
and stated that Simon Peter had not made a good guess. He has received this revelation from the
Father. In response, Jesus named Simon
the “Rock,” and promised that he would build his Church on the rock of Peter’s
faith. He gave to Peter the keys of the
kingdom, signifying the authority over the Church. He promised that the gates of the netherworld
would not prevail against it.
Today,
Jesus begins to clarify his mission as the messiah. Jesus knows that his disciples share the
popular vision that the messiah would be a new David who would be victorious in
battle and restore the ancient kingdom of Israel. He tells them plainly that he would not be
using force or violence to expel the Roman occupiers. That cycle of force and violence would repeat
itself when other major powers came to occupy their land. Instead, he is committed to his Father’s plan
of salvation a plan of forgiveness and sacrifice and mercy and love. As a result, he will go to Jerusalem and
suffer greatly from the religious leaders of the people. He will be killed on a cruel Roman cross. But in three days, he will be raised.
Peter takes
him aside and rebukes him. He cannot
imagine that these horrible things could happen to a promised messiah,
especially to the one whom Peter has loved.
He tells him that no such thing could happen to him. Jesus is very blunt with him: “Get behind me, Satan.” The Rock foundation of the Church has become
a stumbling block. Satan had tempted
Jesus in the desert with the same argument.
Satan wanted to convince him that he could have all the comforts, all
the power, and all the authority without the scandal of the cross. It is the same temptation. Only, there is a difference. In the desert, Jesus had commanded Satan,
“Get away with you.” To Peter, he
commands, “Get behind me.” In other
words, he has resisted Peter’s temptation, because Peter has been speaking from
a human perspective. Despite this
obstacle, Jesus wants Peter to continue to get behind him and follow him to
learn the truth.
Then Jesus turns to the rest of his
disciples and tells them that they will have to follow the same path. They will have to deny themselves. In other words, they must love themselves
less and give higher priority to others.
They will have to take up their own crosses, as he will do. They will follow after him through their
crosses and eventual resurrection with him.
This is a
very challenging message, not only for those original disciples, but also for
us. Saint Paul tells us that we cannot
conform ourselves to this age. Instead
of carefully planning the best steps and avenues for our success and wealth, we
must lose ourselves for the sake of others and trust that the Lord knows what
he is doing in our lives. Instead of
doing everything possible to avoid pain or suffering, we need to embrace the
crosses that cause us humiliation and pain.
Instead of choosing a political party or a particular ideology that
might seem to save us, we need to recommit ourselves to being disciples of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
When we
make these choices, we might find ourselves in doubt and self-pity. That is what happens when we endure ridicule
and hostility from those who reject God.
That is what happened to the Prophet Jeremiah. God had commissioned him to speak the truth
to his people. He had to tell the people
that their infidelity to the Covenant would bring them to ruin. They hated him for telling the truth. But in spite of all of that hatred, he could
not refrain from saying the trust.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the same is true for us.
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