22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

If last week's gospel was a moment of triumph for St Peter today's reading is a moment of humiliation. How does Peter go from hero to zero? The answer is the scandal of the Cross. Darwinism and other forms of evolutionary biology see the key to success as being survival. The stronger and fitter species and individuals will win out and the weaker ones will die. We instinctively look for strength and self-preservation in our economic and social interactions. For St Peter, what was the point of being the Messiah if you were not going to beat the stuffing out of the Romans and vindicate God's people so as to establish a new and glorious Kingdom? Yet, Jesus starts to speak of the Cross! We can start to think by this that St Peter has a point, Instead, Jesus rebukes him: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me" (Mtt 16: 23) From being the "rock" Peter has become a "stumbling block." Why? Because he, and indeed us also, think in a human way. St Paul speaks of this when he writes: "For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (1 Cor 1: 22-24) How can we start to think in a divine way? It is through faith in a Christ who is crucified and calls us to come follow him. Paradoxically, therefore, we no longer are ashamed of our weaknesses but rather glorify in how God is able to work through them. Paul tells us: "So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12: 9-10)