“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.” Matthew 16:23
Wow! Quite a switch from Jesus’ words to Peter remembered in last week’s Gospel reading: same Gospel by Matthew, same Peter, only then Jesus was proclaiming him as the Rock on which he would build his Church.
It is amazing to me that the authors of the New Testament over and over again give us a chance to perceive the whole picture – not just the edited or air-brushed version. Jesus didn’t choose or call the perfect, for truly no one is perfect. Nor was he interested in those who might spend time and energy making it look good. They would need to and be willing to spend time and energy to make it be good.
In the process, as with Peter, genuine curiosity, desire, and effort can fall short. When we try to jump too quickly, or try even sincerely to protect others from what we don’t understand, when we give up on ourselves because of the fear that wells up within us = Others, and even we might judge ourselves. Jesus sees the truth, and as he admonishes Peter today, he admonishes us – not for the purpose of pushing us away but for the purpose of drawing us near, renewed, refreshed, strength replacing weakness, God’s Light replacing our shadow and darkness.
Centuries ago there was a heresy that claimed that if this is so, all bets are off. If Christ is merciful and never withdraws the hand that lifts us – well, live it up! This, of course, was squelched as a shallow reading of Christ and a shallow reading of us. We do not come to our full stature by simply kicking the can down the road. We do not draw to the One in whom we are placing a final hope by saying to him, “Yah, maybe, but not now – definitely not now!” And we do not welcome the Kingdom and its promise by making those around us of little or last priority.
Fr. Tom