Last Sunday Simon, who became Peter, confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This week Jesus says to him, "Get behind me Satan! You are an obstacle to me." What could have changed so much to account for this seemingly about-face Jesus makes with regard to Peter's faithfullness?
Jesus is not denying Peter, he is teaching him that he has allowed his human concerns and thoughts to get in the way of his understanding of how God thinks and allowing those human weaknesses to derail him from the path set by God. "You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Peter learned today how to hear God's voice and to take direction from him and to remain calm and peaceful in troubled times.
Peter is laying the foundations of the Church and today he has laid the first stone! But it takes time to learn how to think and act like God, struggling with human thoughts and emotions with flashes of divine revelation here and there. Peter has learned that he can always ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and the Spirit wil answer!
Taking up one's cross, losing their life for Jesus are concepts that sound very harsh, especially to children. Does Jesus actually mean we must carry our own cross of crucifixion to some hill and allow ourselves to be nailed to it, suffer and die as Jesus did? Jesus speaks metaphorically. Our "cross" is that which is a burden between us and God. Giving up our life for Jesus' sake is akin to the disciples abandoning their earthly lives and concerns to follow Jesus. Remember how the fishermen became fishers of men with Jesus?
Peter is a wonderful example of what the Holy Spirit can do when we let our minds become transformed. Sometimes it is hard to submit our thoughts and attitudes to the Lord, but what could be better than being transformed into a beloved and loving servant of Christ!
Jeremiah, too, learned to abandoned his own human concerns and fears for the sake of following the Lord. As much as he suffered from ridicule for speaking about God he could not help but to contine to do so! Jeremiah, too, had the help of the Holy Spirit which gave him courage and strength!
The Psalm this week is Psalm 63: My Soul is Thirsting (when you click on this link you will see a column of album covers. Click on the listen icon directly to the left of the second album cover, #10702, and the Psalm will begin playing. The words are at the bottom of the page, scroll down.)
Have a blessed week! Pray for wisdom and understanding from the Holy Spirit and be willing to allow your mind to be transformed!