Sunday, September 1, 2002
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Jer 20:7-9
Yahweh, you have seduced me and I let myself be seduced.
You have taken me by force and prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all day long; they all make fun of me,
for every time I speak I have to shout, "Violence! Devastation!"
Yahweh's word has brought me insult and derision all day long.
So I decided to forget about him and speak no more in his name.
But his word in my heart becomes like a fire burning deep within my bones.
I try so hard to hold it in, but I cannot do it.
2nd Reading: Rom 12:1-2
I beg you, dearly beloved, by the mercy of God, to give yourselves as
a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God: such is the worship of a
rational being. Don't let yourselves be shaped by the world where you
live, but rather be transformed through the renewal of your mind. You
must discern the will of God: what is good, what pleases, what is perfect.
Gospel:
Mt 16:21-27
Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem;
he would suffer many things from the Jewish authorities, the chief priests
and the teachers of the Law. He would be killed and be raised on the third
day.
Then Peter took him aside and began to reproach him, "Never, Lord!
No, this must never happen to you." But Jesus turned to him and said,
"Get behind me, Satan! You would have me stumble. You are their king
not as God does, but as people do."
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If you want to follow me, deny
yourself, take up your cross and follow me. For whoever chooses to save
his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life for my sake will
find it. What will one gain by winning the whole world if he destroys
himself? There is nothing you can give to recover your own self.
Know that the Son of Man will come in the Glory of his Father with the
holy angels, and he will reward each one according to his deeds."
Commentary
After Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ, the latter is said to have started his discourse on his impending passion. Evidently the confession, said correctly on behalf of the other disciples, was distorted by the prism of their selfish interests. They would not want such consequences of the proclamation of God's reign by Jesus as the Christ. Clearly at this stage, their concern was not yet the Lord's - i.e., the message of God's reign no matter whither it might lead - but their own worldly selfish ambitions. Rightly Peter and the other disciples were called Satan (adversary). As disciples, their duty was not to dictate to the Master what to do but to get behind him and follow his footsteps in the proclamation of God's reign. Our involvement with church activities - are they inspired by true discipleship or by our own hidden agenda?