***
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.”
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Although Peter understands who Jesus is, he still doesn’t understand the implications of that.
As Savior of the world, Jesus must suffer. And as his disciple, Peter must suffer, too. That’s a truth he will struggle to accept for the rest of his life.
***
Like Peter, how often we shy away from suffering for the Lord.
We lose our temper when we should hold our tongue. We give into temptation, even when our conscience urges us not to.
We ignore the poor when we pass them on the street. We’re selfish with our time; slow to forgive; private about our faith.
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“Get behind me Satan!”
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It is the strongest rebuke Jesus ever says – and he says it to Peter for not embracing his cross.
Yet Jesus will still entrust Peter with the future of the Church, because Peter’s a model for all of us. He reminds us about the paradox of Christianity.
Our faith is a constant story of flight and return; of sin and forgiveness; of failure and redemption.
***
“Who do you say that I am?”
“You are the Christ.”
May our words and actions reflect this truth today.