you are John the Baptist; others say, you are Elijah or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus
asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” And
he ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Jesus then began to teach them that the Son
of Man had to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the
teachers of the law. He would be killed, and after three days rise again. Jesus said all this quite
openly, so that Peter took him aside and began to protest strongly. But Jesus, turning around,
and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are
thinking not as God does, but as people do.”
Reflect
The readings today present such a striking contrast. The first reading is so filled with God’s
abiding love for human beings. Every word, every promise conveys that love. The rainbow –
a sign of color and light after the rains – is the guarantee of these promises. Contrast that
with Jesus’ harsh language to Peter in the Gospel. Jesus actually calls Peter “Satan.” But the
contrast lies only on the surface. Digging more deeply, we see that these readings say the
same thing. God will always reach out to save the people he has called to himself. He did
it for Noah and his family and God will do it for us. But this salvation comes at a cost. Jesus
had to accept rejection, suffering, and death in order to destroy death forever. Any attempt
to hide from that reality, to make God what we want him to be, comes from the father of lies.
It is sure to fail.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023