24th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Sunday 15 September 2024
Mk 8:27-35

“Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things’”.
(Mk 8:31-33)

While walking to the north of the Lake of Galilee, at the foot of Mount Hermon, close to the town of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks His disciples, “who do the people say that I am?”. And they respond, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah, and others one of the prophets”. Jesus closes the circle by asking them, “but you, who do you say that I am?”. Peter, the star of the class, speaks firmly and with certainty, and responds “You are the Christ” a title meaning Messiah. After this, Jesus begins a strange discourse about the future. Speaking clearly about rejection, suffering, and death. Speaking the truth, Jesus finishes by talking about His resurrection after three days, but Peter doesn’t even get to listen to this before interrupting. Hearing of the escalation of negative things, he can’t understand anything more, thinking that maybe His Master had had a nightmare the night before and he even scolds Him! At this point, Jesus speaks up and in front of all the disciples, shouts at Peter telling him to “get behind Me”. In doing this He tells Peter not to put himself in the role of the Master but follow Him, continue in discipleship and to learn from Him. Then using that terrible name He says, “Satan! For you are setting your mind not on things of God but on human things”. Peter is ordinary to continue following, and to not conform to the human mindset that sometimes coincides with that of devil. Suffering is part of life and part of the Gospel! We learn from Jesus that suffering doesn’t have the final word and that it can be lived with joy. This is the change of mentality that the Master encourages and spurs us to live, day by day.

Fr. Giuseppe