Jesus had been asking the disciples who the people thought he was. Jesus also asked the disciples who they thought he was. Peter, saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” resulted in Jesus naming Peter as the rock on which the church would be built.
Now, Jesus tells his disciples how he will be persecuted and killed at the hands of the elders and scribes. The disciples, especially Peter, were shocked and didn’t think this could happen. How could Jesus be killed or die when all the powers on earth to avoid this were in Jesus’ hands?
Jesus had spent his time in public ministry. It was time now to prepare for the next stage of Jesus’ life - passion, death and resurrection. These necessary events had been prophesied and would lead to the salvation of all.
Peter was vehement in his response to these events. He went as far as to say that he forbids
it.
Jesus’ harsh response to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan, you are an obstacle to me,” was due to Peter’s fragile faith. How could Peter possibly forbid the heavenly plans for Jesus?
Often, we are like Peter. Our faith is
fragile, and we try to take control of our lives, not believing that what God has planned for us is good enough. We question and doubt and take back that which we earlier surrendered. We think that our plans are better than God’s plans.
We are called to have unwavering faith in Jesus. We are called to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that it is in Jesus that we
receive the grace and gift of salvation.
Today, ponder the times when you have been like Peter, times when your faith has faded. Ask God to be patient with you and return to that grace and unwavering faith.
Reflections by Gillian Hugo
