Thursday, XVII Week of Ordinary Time
(Matthew 16)
We have heard the central question of this gospel passage many times. Perhaps we remember Peter’s answer as if it were our telephone number. But can we appreciate its implications? “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Jesus asks. Of course, he is talking about himself. He is the Son of Man; that is, the human who does God’s work. But the question asks, “What more is Jesus?” Peter gives the answer that we all know. He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Now what does this mean?
Peter thinks it means that Jesus is exempt from suffering. Like the son of a king will never have to wait in line to receive medical care, Jesus -- in Peter’s mind -- will never punishment by human hand. But, of course, Peter is only reflecting what most humans think when he responds, “God forbid, Lord,” to Jesus’ prophecy of his own passion. That God’s son will undergo some of the most excruciating torture imaginable still astounds us.
But Jesus’ suffering will redeem suffering. With Jesus’ passion and death, suffering is no longer necessarily a scourge. Rather than only torment and desperation, suffering can now bring eternal life. All humans know suffering, and nobody likes it. But now we can welcome it. When we suffer in loving patience with Jesus, we show our acceptance of him as Lord. His resurrection and eternal life then becomes our hope.
It is like primitive humans controlling the use of fire. For a long time they reeled from its intensity and feared its power. But then they saw that they might use it for cooking, farming, and keeping warm. We do not look for suffering and pray that the suffering that comes our way is not beyond our strength. But we accept it knowing that endured in solidarity with Jesus, it assures salvation.
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