Learning a Lenten Lesson from St Peter
(The following was originally posted March 4, 2010)
Our Lord never minced words. When Peter rebuked Him as He spoke plainly of his impending suffering and death, Our Lord tells Peter: "Get behind me Satan."
Peter wasn't interested in what Our Lord was saying. He knew what was better for Our Lord, even in the face of Our Lord's clear words regarding what would come to be. Peter chooses what Peter prefers to what God has ordained.
I always wonder how Peter felt at these stinging words of Our Lord. He must have been surprised, if not shocked. He was already close to Jesus - a friend as well as a follower. He probably thought he was just giving Jesus good advice. Why would anyone want to voluntarily die? Maybe Our Lord was confused or tired (Peter thinks).
If Peter chooses what he prefers, what he thinks is right in the face of the clear words of Our Lord, you can imagine how many times we might be tempted do this too, starting with how we observe our Faith.
How many times have you heard Catholics make excuses for why they don't go to Mass - never mind why they don't need to go to Confession?
Lent always brings this theme out. Churches are jammed (at least in our neck of the woods) with people on Ash Wednesday who happily bear the mark of ashes on their foreheads, then don't bother to go to Mass on Sunday. Strange.
On the other hand, it's always heart-warming to see lots of people in church on Ash Wednesday, and there's something sort of cool about seeing other Catholics walking around with their faith right there on their foreheads. So if the ashes make sense, why not Mass, why not confession?
I'm not judging anyone here. While I don't miss Mass, there are enough things Our Lord calls me to do that I choose to ignore, just as there are things He's forbidden me to do that I chose to ignore as well. They're known as sins of omission (what you should have done but didn't) and sins of commission (what you shouldn't have done but did).
The point is Our Lord goes out of His way to show us how to live. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. So why do we keep deciding we know better?
As we go through Lent, let's remember Peter. He thought he knew better. He couldn't understand the point of Our Lord going to Jerusalem to face death. And let's remember Our Lord's rebuke: Get thee behind me Satan. It's really not up to us to tell Our Lord what to do or how to do it. We don't know better.
Even though He rebuked Peter, Our Lord eventually made Him head of His Church. We know this, we know His Church. Maybe those folks who get ashes but don't go to Mass just don't know any better. But we do.
Our Lord is leading us this Lent. He's waiting for those prayers, sacrifices and acts of charity that will bring us closer to Him. Let's not tell Him we don't have the time to pray, or the energy to fast or give things up, never mind the will to unite ourselves to Him in our special charitable acts.
We Catholic men at work, in spite of the busy lives we lead, won't make excuses; we won't tell Our Lord that we know better. We've learned our lesson from Peter.
Our Lord never minced words. When Peter rebuked Him as He spoke plainly of his impending suffering and death, Our Lord tells Peter: "Get behind me Satan."
Peter wasn't interested in what Our Lord was saying. He knew what was better for Our Lord, even in the face of Our Lord's clear words regarding what would come to be. Peter chooses what Peter prefers to what God has ordained.
I always wonder how Peter felt at these stinging words of Our Lord. He must have been surprised, if not shocked. He was already close to Jesus - a friend as well as a follower. He probably thought he was just giving Jesus good advice. Why would anyone want to voluntarily die? Maybe Our Lord was confused or tired (Peter thinks).
If Peter chooses what he prefers, what he thinks is right in the face of the clear words of Our Lord, you can imagine how many times we might be tempted do this too, starting with how we observe our Faith.
How many times have you heard Catholics make excuses for why they don't go to Mass - never mind why they don't need to go to Confession?
Lent always brings this theme out. Churches are jammed (at least in our neck of the woods) with people on Ash Wednesday who happily bear the mark of ashes on their foreheads, then don't bother to go to Mass on Sunday. Strange.
On the other hand, it's always heart-warming to see lots of people in church on Ash Wednesday, and there's something sort of cool about seeing other Catholics walking around with their faith right there on their foreheads. So if the ashes make sense, why not Mass, why not confession?
I'm not judging anyone here. While I don't miss Mass, there are enough things Our Lord calls me to do that I choose to ignore, just as there are things He's forbidden me to do that I chose to ignore as well. They're known as sins of omission (what you should have done but didn't) and sins of commission (what you shouldn't have done but did).
The point is Our Lord goes out of His way to show us how to live. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. So why do we keep deciding we know better?
As we go through Lent, let's remember Peter. He thought he knew better. He couldn't understand the point of Our Lord going to Jerusalem to face death. And let's remember Our Lord's rebuke: Get thee behind me Satan. It's really not up to us to tell Our Lord what to do or how to do it. We don't know better.
Even though He rebuked Peter, Our Lord eventually made Him head of His Church. We know this, we know His Church. Maybe those folks who get ashes but don't go to Mass just don't know any better. But we do.
Our Lord is leading us this Lent. He's waiting for those prayers, sacrifices and acts of charity that will bring us closer to Him. Let's not tell Him we don't have the time to pray, or the energy to fast or give things up, never mind the will to unite ourselves to Him in our special charitable acts.
We Catholic men at work, in spite of the busy lives we lead, won't make excuses; we won't tell Our Lord that we know better. We've learned our lesson from Peter.
Comments