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.”
Amid the Lord's angry words to Saint Peter, I hear the fear the Lord might have felt at his disciple's suggestion. Peter had offered the advice of Satan.
But it was also the reaction of a friend who was horrified by the idea that his Lord and Teacher expects to die in Jerusalem. Peter will go with Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane and see the anguish of a man who knows his hour has come. And seeing that, do you not fear with him? And urge him to, "Get out of town?" We want to say, "You don't have to go through with this. You can escape; there's still time. People will hide you; you have friends everywhere!"
And Jesus, in fact, will withdraw on occasion in the face of threats and violence. When John the Baptist was arrested and then executed, Jesus withdrew from that place. We may suppose it was a strategic withdrawal but it may have looked like a normal reaction to ferocious opposition.
The Lord hears Satan's suggestion in Peter's appeal to common sense and reacts angrily. The Gospel reminds us that, despite the rationality we must bring to every decision, we are finally obedient to the Holy Spirit. What the Lord wants might not be the most obvious course to take. God's purpose for each one of us is rarely the easiest, most appealing and popular way to go. Neither the Holy City nor City of Oz might appear in the distance. And there will always be sympathetic friends and concerned family who would direct us in some other direction.
We will do the Will of God because, each day, we consider, pray, listen, and renew our intention to want what God wants. It will never be obvious to everyone, but we hope we see it clearly.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.