Jesus is both God and Man. God is both One and Three. These theological mysteries of our faith, where seemingly impossible things go together, continue a pattern of more immediate, personal mysteries that many of the heroes in our Scriptures were asked to embrace. Before the burning bush, Moses asked the Lord, “Why send me to convince Pharaoh, when I am such a poor speaker?” At the Annunciation, Mary replied to the angel, “How can I give birth to the Messiah since I am a virgin?”
Saint Peter's Dilemma
And today’s dramatic exchange between Jesus and Peter is one more potent example. “How can you suffer rejection and execution when you are the Messiah?” For us, who are Christians, with 2000 years of tradition bolstering our belief, the suffering Messiah doesn’t seem a contradiction at all, but the very point of the story. We’ve been coming to church our whole lives and seeing Jesus on the Cross; we know that’s why He came into the world. But in order to understand the power of this scene, we have to put ourselves into Peter’s mindset. The Messiah should be embraced and exalted by Israel, for the Messiah would lead the nation to glory. A Messiah who was rejected and killed by the leaders of Israel? It would seem to make no sense.
Profound Trust
And maybe surprisingly, Jesus doesn’t offer Peter any real clarifying explanation, as the Lord gave to Moses and the angel spoke to Mary. Instead, after rebuking Peter so harshly today, Jesus responds to Peter’s confusion in the event we celebrated yesterday, the Transfiguration. Jesus appears in His divine glory, and, as Father Boby so beautifully preached, this experience doesn’t offer an explanation, but it does provide a revelation. The experience empowers Peter to move from bewilderment and confusion to amazement and faith. In the Transfiguration, Peter experiences Jesus as the exalted one, Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets, Jesus as beloved Son and Word of God. And Peter can walk down the mountain not with perfect understanding, but with profound trust.
God's Revelation
In our lives as ordinary Christians, we may not spend much time contemplating the Incarnation or the Trinity. But our lives of faith will confront us with everyday realities that are difficult for us to reconcile. How can I be suffering this illness or this trial, if God loves me? How can God be calling me to be a priest or a religious sister or brother, when I know I’m struggling with this sin? How can I remain in this marriage, when I’m no longer feeling the same romantic love for my spouse? Sometimes, in prayer or reading or conversation, we may receive a clear explanation for what’s troubling us. But more often, God speaks to us not with explanation but with revelation, not giving us clear understanding, but moving us from doubt to amazement and trust. Amazement at who He is, and trust at the seemingly impossible feats He can accomplish in our lives.
- Father Charlie's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday–Friday. Consider inviting others to join, too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
