Wellspring of the Gospel

 

Year A: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Matthew 16: 21-27

Today’s Gospel continues straight on from last week’s and shows how fleeting the disciples’ understanding was. Last week, they heard Peter identify Him as the Son of God - this week, they hear Jesus call Peter “Satan”. What is going on?

The problem lies in Peter’s understanding of what being the Messiah - the Son of God means.

He had been brought up on the idea of a warrior Messiah - someone who would liberate Israel by his qualities of leadership and even having travelled with Jesus and heard His words in the Sermon on the Mount,

Peter is still convinced that this is Jesus’ destiny.

Jesus understands things differently.

He recognises that His Kingdom is not one of this world - and that the kind of Kingdom He is building is going to bring Him into conflict with the chief priests and lead, eventually, to His death.

This is unthinkable to the disciples - but Jesus is quite certain and recognises in Peter’s words some of the empty promises offered by Satan in the desert. Hence words which seem harsh: “get behind me, Satan”. Last week, Peter thought in God’s way - this week, he has reverted to human thinking.

Jesus makes the point even more strongly - not only is He destined to suffer but those who follow Him are going to suffer too. The true followers of Jesus will, like Him, have to shoulder the burdens of suffering and death.

They could, like Him, avoid it by conforming to the things that the world values - but, in the end, they can only do this by losing their integrity - the person they were created to be.

But the promise Jesus offers at the end shows that this is not empty suffering - or pain for its own sake. In the end, the followers will be vindicated - rewarded by the Father with eternal life.

What does it mean for me?

Waterlily

What are the crosses that you are asked to bear?

How does this Gospel offer you hope?

Text © 2007 Wellspring

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