Sunday Reflection 22

 22^nd Sunday: Matthew 16.21-27 [2020/08/30] Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, In the Gospel there is a tension between the understanding of Jesus and Peter on who the Son of God is. Many Jews of Jesus’ time opined that Christ would lead them to victory against the Romans, make them all independent once again, and become a great king again like David when the Kingdom of Israel was mighty and great. Influenced by satanic distortion of Messiah, Peter reproaches Jesus (Matthew 16.22) when He speaks of suffering. Peter the Rock becomes a stumbling block and voice of the tempter. When he stands in front of Jesus to block the way to the cross (Matthew16.23), Jesus recognizes the same spirit that tempted him in the desert (Matthew 4.10). He promptly responds and calls Peter ‘tempter’ (Matthew 16.23). He demands that Peter get behind Him and follow him as is proper for a disciple.

We shall now reflect on the temptation narrative that explains what it means to be the ‘Son of God.’ I am sure that this interpretation of the narrative would throw light on the conversation between Jesus and Peter. The devil proposes an understanding of the Son of God in terms of power, pomp, and prestige (“If you are the Son of God…Matthew 4.3 and 4.6). The proposal is firmly rejected by Jesus. He characterizes his SONSHIP as one that implies complete trust in and total obedience to the Father. The temptation narrative represents the satanic distortion of the messianic mission of Jesus. It shows how Jesus rejected false conceptions of his mission and how he correctly understood his role as SON OF GOD. He consistently affirms his trust in God alone, and his readiness to follow the way of suffering and service. “The three temptations of Jesus reflect the inner struggle over His own particular mission” (Benedict XVI. 2007, p.28). These three temptations remind us of the temptations which Israel experienced in the wilderness. The biblical texts quoted by Jesus refer to the three temptations to which Israel succumbed. Israel doubted God’s providence (Deuteronomy 8.3; Exodus 16.2), put God to the test (Deuteronomy 6.16; Exodus 17.1), and abandoned God for the worship of idols (Deuteronomy 6.13; Exodus 32). Where Israel failed, Jesus the true SON OF GOD triumphed. He represents the triumph of God’s will over the satanic distortion of Messiah. The Israelites and Peter represent human capacity for failure even though they were chosen by God for a divine mission. The Church too faces these temptations and failures. It is tempted to use its spiritual resources for its own temporal advantage and to enthrall people by its display of wealth and power. It is tempted to rely on money, status and power, rather than on obedience and service. The example of Jesus inspires us to reject such temptations and place our trust in God alone (Luke 4.1-13). During the pandemic, Pope Francis, God’s prophet for our times and ‘shepherd living with the smell of the sheep,’ wisely leads the Church by reading the signs of the times in the light of the Gospel and listening to the Holy Spirit. Prompted by the Spirit of Vatican II, he leaves no stone unturned for the realization of a listening, serving, loving and charitable Church. His encyclicals namely Evangelii Gaudium (On the Joy of the Gospel), Amoris Laetitia (On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World) and Laudato Si (Care for Our Common Home) were prophetic in nature. His Curia Reform, Collegiality in action, participatory Federation of Bishops’ Conferences and increasing visibility of lay persons especially women in administrative structures, speak of a serving and listening Church that is inclusive and collaborative. The sainthood of Martyr Archbishop Oscar Romero by Pope Francis is a clarion call to follow Christ the Crucified who experienced the people who live in the periphery. Option for the poor and the people of periphery is a Gospel-obligation and Gospel-demand.

Dear sisters and brothers, Jesus perfects Christian discipleship signaling total trust in and obedience to the Father that embodies the Son of God. This is the path Jesus must go and the path that all who would seek association with him must also be prepared to embrace. Do not let yourself be shaped by the world around you, but be transformed by the renewal of your spirit.

Dear sisters and brothers in Jesus Christ our Lord, here are some points for your reflection.

1.      Do you cling to God (Psalm 63) amidst anguish, grief, suffering, pain, challenges and difficulties?

2.      Does your life imply trust in and obedience to God?

3.      Are you aware of the satanic distortion that influences your daily struggles?

4.      Do you believe that God speaks of change of heart and renewal, and His message does not necessarily always mean ‘prosperity’? Is this relevant to the times of the pandemic?