It has been more than five months since we first began to take measures to deal with the Corona Virus. The instructions and precautions continue in our lives. When we started this back in March it was not clear how long this would last nor everything we would need to do to fight it. Many thought it would maybe last a few months, but now it will be with us for at least a full year maybe more. It has been hard to make the adjustments in our lives. There has been complaining and some resistance to the requirements imposed by government and health officials. At the same time we have been told all these sacrifices are necessary to control and defeat the pandemic. In fact, here in San Antonio, the numbers are coming down steadily every day. It is for the good of all that we carry this burden together.
Big sacrifices are the point in today’s gospel. Last Sunday Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, makes a profession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus acknowledged Peter’s faith and names him the rock of the Church based on that faith. So now it seems everything is set up for the Church.
Not so fast!
In Matthew’s gospel today, which follows last week’s, Jesus begins to lay out what being the Messiah means and it is not what Peter and the disciples think it means. This gospel passage begins with “From that time on…” marking a turning point. Peter’s declaration of faith in the Messiah was a high point in the gospel story coming in the middle of Matthew’s narration. Jesus then immediately begins to let the disciples know what that profession of faith really means. He begins to talk about going to Jerusalem, suffering, being killed and on the third day being raised. They heard clearly the suffering and death part but seemed to miss or not understand the being raised part.
Peter rejects the notion of the suffering of the messiah since he believes the messiah is supposed to be a royal king, a warrior conqueror, immune from suffering and basking in glory. Jesus talks about a suffering servant, one who accepts the cross. It is the Paschal Mystery, his passion, death and resurrection, that Jesus makes the foundation for the authority that he bestows on Peter and foundation of his Church.
Just a few lines ago, Peter and Jesus were naming each other Messiah and Rock of the Church. Now Jesus has a new name for Peter, “Satan.” He calls Peter an obstacle and tells him to get in line, “get behind me Satan.” A pretty drastic turnaround!
Why bring Satan into this? Matthew wants us to remember the temptation in the desert, where Satan tries leading Jesus away from the cross to the notion of the triumphant king by offering him all the kingdoms of the world if he worships him, which Jesus rejects. The tempter has returned in the person of Peter and Jesus quickly rejects the temptation just as in the desert. It is not Jesus who needs to change his way of thinking of himself. Peter needs a conversion in his thinking about the messiah. He has a ways to go. “Get behind me” means get in line and learn more. You are not ready to lead. That is why you cannot tell anyone about the messiah. Peter is still called to be a follower, but he is not ready to be a leader.
In a way it is hard to blame Peter. He is like us. Who wants to suffer when there is an easier way? We are always taking the path of least resistance. That is just how we are. However, the suffering of Jesus is not just pain. Rather it is redemptive suffering. It transforms the one who suffers and those around him or her. Jesus’ life was not taken from him. He gave it. When we embrace the sufferings, the sacrifices, the struggles, especially now with the pandemic, knowing that our experience will help others and in the process transform us as well, then everything changes.
There are no easy ways to follow Jesus. Too much is at stake. It is not enough to confess faith in Jesus. This is about living our lives following and imitating Jesus. Learn about the power of suffering for the sake of the good of others. That is what it means to take up the cross and follow him.
There are no easy ways out of this pandemic for any of us. We wish we could ignore it. Some try to and find out the hard way, like the young person who died of Covid locally some months back after attending a “Covid party” thinking it was all a big hoax. Or those who can’t be bothered wearing masks or following the other protocols to help stem the virus because it is too much of a sacrifice on their freedom. Following Jesus means caring for self and others, which means taking on suffering for the sake of others as Jesus showed us. We are certainly seeing that played out during the pandemic. Not just those with the illness are those who are suffering. The caregivers, the workers harvesting food or packing meat, the delivery people, the staff at groceries and drugstores, the food bank volunteers and so many more are all going above and beyond, working long hours, often risking their own health for the sake of others. It is costing them a lot of sacrifice and suffering and often they do not get much back to show for it. Our sacrifices can help their sacrifices.
Jesus still calls Peter the Rock as the gospel goes forth to call out from him this identity of strengthening the Church. Peter can and will grow, albeit as he stumbles forward. Those who exercise authority will suffer like the master. This authority of Peter is to serve, by laying down his life for others. Cross bearing and self-denial are integral to following Jesus. To carry a cross is not just to endure suffering but also humiliation, persecution, ridicule, and hostility. The reality of the world is that we suffer. How we suffer as part of following Jesus, as part of sacrificing for others, distinguishes the follower of Jesus from others.
Pope Francis, the successor to St. Peter, is constantly drawing our attention to those who suffer throughout the world, especially the migrants and refugees, who are still traveling at great risk to themselves and their families. The pope asks us to act in faith to help those who suffer the most. The pope does not give us faith but confirms what God has already given. The pope just asks us to work and develop what we have and it will be enough.
Every Mass and prayer we say begins with the sign of the cross, indicating our willingness to carry it. The word Catholic means universal: which is why we are called to help people both near us and all over the world, even if we never see them or even if they are not like us in any way or even if they never thank us.
Jesus puts a cross in front of us and asks us to get in line. This is the time to just do it.
Fr. David Garcia is a retired priest from the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas, where he served for 44 years. During that time, Fr. Garcia was instrumental in the effort to have the Old Spanish Missions recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also oversaw the multimillion-dollar restoration of San Fernando Cathedral. Fr. David served as pastor for several parishes in San Antonio, including the historic Mission Concepción. He also served as Senior Advisor for Clergy Outreach at Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian and relief agency of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.