The contrast between last week's gospel and this week is stark. Last week Peter was the "rock" and this week he is the "stumbling block." Last week he was inspired by "my Father in heaven" while today he is "Satan." This hard lesson tells us that as missionary disciples we cannot deny the cross. The temptation is to use human logic and operate on human motivations. St Paul points out: "My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom. but with a demonstration of the spirit and of power. so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God." (1 Cor 2: 4-5) Denial of the cross is one of the five temptations for Jesus to be found in the gospels. Three were in the desert and one in the Garden of Olives at the Passion, with this one coming from his closest friend who acts as the Tempter. The lesson for Peter is that to follow Christ one must be prepared to sacrifice everything including one's life: "If any want to be my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." (Mtt 18: 24-25) The destiny of the Messiah is the salvation of the world not his own health and comfort. Jesus has bigger fish to fry than self preservation or worldly power: "For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?" (Mtt 16: 26) The priority for missionary disciples is not the judgement of the world rather it is the verdict of their Master: "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done." (Mtt 16: 27) Let us hope that Church leaders, as well as ourselves. are attentive to this gospel as they must cope with the challenges of the present age.
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