From the responsorial psalm: “I love the LORD because he has heard my voice in supplication, because he has inclined his ear to me the day I called. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 8:27-35)
Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Jesus places the question of his identity before the disciples as they head into Caesarea Philippi, a hub of pagan worship. With this in the backdrop, Jesus hears the response of people who fail to recognize him for who he is. Peter identifies him as the Christ, and Jesus warns them not to tell anyone about him. Hearing from Jesus many of the details of his coming passion, death, and resurrection, Peter rebukes Jesus but then himself is rebuked by the Son of God: “Get behind me, Satan.” Our ways are not God’s ways, and what is upside down is right side up. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,” Jesus tells the crowd, “but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” The means to this is by way of the cross, denying ourselves, and uniting our suffering to the life-giving passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
God, help me understand the mystery of suffering and place my hope in your mercy. The world might seem right side up but is upside down. Help me by turning my vision right side up, to see the world as you see it. Pope Benedict XVI said: “It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love. . . .” Lord of truth, love, and goodness, guide me!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.