Gospel, Matthew 16:21-27 In last week’s gospel, Peter proclaims Jesus as the Messiah, not as the result of his mental acuity but as a result of his seeking God’s guidance. That was what Jesus wanted most in the person to whom, more than anyone else, he would entrust his mission. Yet Peter had his moments when he neglected to seek God’s plan and trusted in his own human logic. Such was the case in this scene as Peter tries to tell Jesus how his mission should unfold. Jesus, sharing our human nature, would have liked the easier way out. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane he will pray that the cup be taken away if possible. Being the Messiah without the suffering and death was truly a temptation for him at this moment as it had been back in the days in the desert following his baptism. Satan had spoken directly with him at that time. Now the voice was that of his friend. Imagine the strength of the temptation for Jesus to call his friend a Satan and the pain in well-intentioned Peter on hearing those words directed at him. Yet such are we for one another when we give advice based on mere human logic rather than on discernment of God’s will.
Reading 1, Jeremiah 20:7-9 The book of the prophet Jeremiah gives us a more personal look into the life of the prophets than any other work of the Old Testament. Having received little support and a great deal of abuse for having accepted God’s call, Jeremiah decided he had had enough. He put aside the prophet’s mantle and returned to being a vinedresser. One can just imagine the comments from his old friends, “Welcome back, Jeremiah. You finally came to your senses, eh?” That’s what Jeremiah thought. He just wanted to put his prophet’s role in the past, but the need to speak out was like a fire or a volcano inside him…it had to erupt. Jeremiah knew that going back to being a prophet would once again result in abuse and rejection. Nevertheless, he know that he had to take his lead from God and not from the attitudes of the people around him.
Reading II, Romans 12:1-2 Has there ever been a period in the history of the world when the predominant ethics and norms of society reflected God’s will…when followers of God could simply conform themselves to the present age? Being a deeply committed Christian will always be counter-cultural to some extent…always going a bit against the flow. Discerning God’s will requires a decision to make it one’s priority (as with Jeremiah in our first reading), commitment to follow through regardless of the challenge, and discipline of one’s mind and body so as not to fall in times of temptation.
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