GOSPEL POWER l AUGUST 4, 2022 - Thursday of 18th Week in Ordinary Time

Saint John Vianney, priest

Gospel: Mt 16:13-23 

13When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his  disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they  said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others  Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you  say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the  Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you,  Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,  but my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this  rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail  against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and  whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever  you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he sternly  ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 21From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he  must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of  the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the  third day be raised. 22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke  him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”  23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a  stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine  things but on human things.”

This Gospel passage has always been interpreted and  preached about as the primacy of Peter, which is true;  but it has a lot more to offer for our consideration. We see  that in a single episode, Peter is both affirmed and scolded by Jesus.  For though Peter is open to God’s Spirit, at whose prompting he  confesses and brings to light the Messianic identity of Jesus, he is, at  the same time, open to the worldly spirit, which moves him to resist  the Messiah’s destiny to suffer and die. Thus, he unwittingly, plays  the role of the tempter, trying to make Jesus trip and fall. We can  resonate with Peter’s experience of ambivalence, divided loyalty, and  lack of discernment. These are the ever-present stumbling blocks in  the journey of faith, and we can only avoid them by humbly relying on  God’s grace in all matters. Lord Jesus, keep us aware that the greater the responsibility entrusted to  us, so also should be our reliance on your grace. Amen.