I wonder what Peter thought when, after he said to Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” Jesus praised his answer and gave him authority over the Church, saying also, “The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
Peter probably had a sense of security, of comfort, perhaps even of pride. Perhaps he thought that as long as he was with Jesus, the Messiah, everything would be alright. He would be safe. No harm could come to him, to Jesus, or to his friends. Then, shortly afterwards, Jesus began to tell them of the suffering, death, and resurrection He would undergo. I can imagine this shattered Peter’s sense of security. His voice rang out in protest. No, this will not happen! It cannot happen! You are the Christ!
As Christians, we do have a sense of security and of peace in our faith. God is in control. He is to be trusted and does have our good in mind. However, Jesus has also said, “In the world you will have trouble…” (John 16:33). Trouble does not feel safe or comfortable. It can feel downright dangerous and threatening.
Jesus says in tomorrow’s reading, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). There are times I also want to protest against this suffering. I beg Jesus, can this not just be easy? Why must it be so difficult? But then I ask myself, does this difficulty mean that I am not safe or cared for? Not at all. Just as Jesus used something alarming and distressing (His Passion) to save us from our greatest threat – eternal separation from God – He does not abandon us in the carrying of our crosses either.
God’s ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). How many times have I stood, even for a time, in the way of God’s plans because I thought the difficult road was a dead end rather than a passage to something better? How many times have I been afraid of being abandoned in the hour of my greatest need and clung too hard to the feeling of security? How many times have I given in to the lies of the great deceiver, the enemy of our souls, rather than trusting in our Lord’s promises?
Yet our Lord’s promises still remain. “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). Despite all appearances, God has conquered. The rocky road is not a dead end. We will never be abandoned. Jesus is Lord, now and forever.
Daily Reading
Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Judges 2:11-19 The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals. Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers, who led them out of the land…
Saint of the Day
