THE WORD
Jer 31,31-34 / Mt 16,13-23
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah. From that time on, 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 him 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.”
IN OTHER WORDS
A married guy was asked by the priest who solemnized his wedding how things were getting along after a couple of years. He replied banteringly, “Father, I’ve found out that there are three rings in marriage--engagement ring, wedding ring, suffe-RING.” (For other couples, it might be a boxing ring).
That funny story show that even in the best of relationships, there’s suffering.
In today’s gospel, Jesus tells His disciples that He, the Son of God, the Messiah, will have to suffer grievously and be put to death” (Mt 16,21), something which Peter cannot comprehend. Pain and sufferings are part of human life in this “valley of tears.” In the words of an existentialist philosopher: “Suffering is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived.”
Sufferings are experienced bodily, mentally, emotionally and psychologically like the loneliness of a solo parent, the drudgery of work aggravated by an unfriendly atmosphere in the work place.
Jesus further says, “If you want to be my follower…you must carry your own cross” (verse 24). “Carrying your cross” does not, of course, mean that you just accept your fate and not do anything about it. If you can prevent illness by avoiding an unhealthy lifestyle like smoking, drinking in excess or eating cholesterol-rich food, by all means do it.
But if suffering is INEVITABLE or beyond human control, like miseries caused by devastating natural calamities or physical pains of old age, the Christian response is to off er them in union with the sufferings of Christ so they become meritorious and not wasted. In the words of St. Paul: “If you suffer with Christ, you will also rise with Him.”
Then there are pains that are INFLICTED by people. Think, for instance, of kidnappers and drug traffickers, corrupt officials who, without qualms, impoverish the country.
ASK YOURSELF: Am I doing something to remedy or alleviate the sufferings of those I live or work with? Or, do I cause them pain?
- Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD | CKMS, QC
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
