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Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings
First Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9
Responsorial: Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
Second Reading: Romans 12:1-2
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083020.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/
In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus say, “If anyone wants to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Let’s consider what this means for us through the lens Peter’s comments and Jesus’ reaction? Peter has had a rough month! Earlier this month, Jesus tells him, “You man of little faith” (Matthew 14:31). Last week, we heard Jesus proclaim, “You are Rock and on this Rock I shall build my Church and that gates of hell shall not triumph over it” (Matthew 16:18). And today He says, “Get behind Me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23). What is going on with Peter, and why are we asked to consider him?
On one level, we can’t help but to be amused at Peter’s foibles. We might shake our heads and think to ourselves, “poor Peter.” But I think there’s more going on here for us. We’re called to reflect prayerfully on Scripture to see if it has an impact on the way we live our lives as Christians. We call this prayerful reflection, “contemplation.”
As we contemplate Peter, what’s going on here? Well, I think that Peter, like the Jews of his time, had an idea about the Messiah. For many, it was about the hope for a restoration of David’s kingdom and expelling the Roman occupiers. So, on one level, that’s operating in Peter’s mind. But surely Peter has been thinking a lot about Jesus and in particular all the miracles and strange things he had seen, like when we heard from the Gospel when Elijah and Moses appeared alongside Jesus (Matthew 17:3). Maybe Peter had an idea that the Messiah would not only lead a kingdom on earth but also a heavenly kingdom.
But today, when he hears Jesus talk and say that he must suffer and die (Matthew 16:21), Peter can’t handle it. It doesn’t reconcile with anything he’s been thinking. None of it made sense to him. It almost shatters his ideas of the Messiah so much so that he pulled Jesus aside to scold him. It’s easy for us to look back on what Peter has done with some humor. Peter is telling God in Jesus that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. What does that tell you? I think it suggests that Peter had some pride in his thoughts. He knew better.
Now pride is an uber sin. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind” (Lewis, 121).
Ok, pride is one thing, but why does Jesus call Peter “Satan?” Well, what is Lucifer’s greatest power? Contrary to Saturday Night Live, Satan can’t make us do anything. His greatest power is planting seeds of fear and doubt. For Lucifer to triumph, he needs us to freely turn our back on what’s right and do what is wrong. So, he plants seeds of fear and doubt, which might cause a line of thoughts that, in turn, might cause us to act.
When Jesus calls Peter “Satan,” he is saying that Peter is acting like Lucifer. Peter is unwittingly trying to plant seeds of doubt in Jesus’ head – that Jesus is mistaken about God’s will, and he should change course. Jesus recognizes what Peter is trying to do, and he immediately silences Peter.
Ok, what is the implication for us in the way we live our lives? How many times have we heard Catholic preachers talk about sin and brokenness and the need for reconciliation? Yet, the confessionals seem relatively empty except perhaps during Advent and Lent. Maybe when we hear a priest or deacon talk about sin, we nod our heads in agreement, and in our minds agree that there sure are a lot of people in church who need to go to confession. We might look at the people around us and think to ourselves, “Yep, I think that guy over there is having an affair. And the woman who read the readings takes marijuana.”
It’s easy to judge those around us, but me – I am not doing anything wrong, at least nothing that requires receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I think a lot of us, perhaps, more of us than we realize, suffer some form of pride of thought. We convince ourselves that what we’re doing isn’t sin even if the Church says otherwise. We tell ourselves, “The Church is wrong.” Forget the fact that the church has been prayerfully studying Scripture and these sorts of issues for 2000 years. Forget that the Church has experts who devote all of their professional lives to theology. They are wrong, and I am right. Peter’s sin should make us all feel a little uncomfortable.
What’s worse is when we share our ideas that we don’t think what the Church teaches about something is a sin. In that way, like Peter, we are spreading seeds of doubt. As those seeds take root, people might begin to accept the way we rationalized what is and isn’t sin and agree that the Church can’t possibly be right.
We act like Peter when we place prideful value in our own logic than in the Church’s teachings, and when we share those poisoned seeds with other people. So, the cross we need to carry may very well be our own pride – a pride that needs to be crucified for our redemption. To help us prayerfully reflect on how Scripture is trying to shape the way we Christians live our lives, we need a little homework!
Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions this week:
- Peter had trouble accepting that Jesus had to suffer. How can I grow in gratitude for Jesus’ suffering?
- When do I place my thoughts above Christ’s teachings through His Church?
I think doing our homework today will help us as we carry our crosses and help us be better disciples of Christ Jesus. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!
Image Credit: Artist unknown. No Title. JPEG file.
References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.
2. Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. [Place of publication not identified]: HarperCollins e-Books, 2009. Kindle.
3. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
4. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.
Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Knowledge of Christ, 417-74
2. Suffering Messiah, 440, 607
3. The Cross as the way to Christ’s glory, 555, 1460, 2100
4. Redemptive suffering, 618
5. The Second coming of Christ, 671
6. Christ the Judge, 678-79
7. Common priesthood of believers, 1141, 1546
8. Moral life as spiritual worship, 2031
9. Way to perfection by the way of the Cross, 2015
10. Carrying our cross in daily life, 2427
11. Discerning God’s will, 2520, 2826
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083020.cfm
Lectionary: 124
Reading 1
Jeremiah 20:7-9
You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped;
you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.
All the day I am an object of laughter;
everyone mocks me.
Whenever I speak, I must cry out,
violence and outrage is my message;
the word of the LORD has brought me
derision and reproach all the day.
I say to myself, I will not mention him,
I will speak in his name no more.
But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones;
I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.
Responsorial
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Reading 2
Romans 12:1-2
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.
Do not conform yourselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and pleasing and perfect.
Alleluia
See Ephesians 1:17-18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 16:21-27
Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”