Happy Friday everyone! We’ve almost made it to the weekend!
For today’s reflection I want to focus on the gospel from Luke 9:18-22:
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”Today’s gospel marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. In this moment, the tone and tenor shift toward the cross and what must be accomplished. Peter has just made his great confession, given to him by the grace of God, that Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus has acknowledged as much. For the Apostles, this must have been a joyous moment, as the nation of Israel had long awaited the Messiah to deliver them from Roman occupation. We see evidence of their excitement in Luke’s note: “He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.”
Who could contain such great news? Jesus knew that if word spread that He was the Messiah, others would likely have the same reaction. However, He also understood that His mission was far different—and far greater—than what the Apostles likely had in mind. After ordering them not to tell anyone, He gives the first clue why: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” I can only imagine the emotional shift for the Apostles, like an emotional rollercoaster. The Messiah can’t die! He’s supposed to lead Israel to prosperity and deliver it from its enemies!
Saint Paul would later say that the cross is a stumbling block for the Jews and folly to the Gentiles. This moment was likely just that for the Apostles—a stumbling block.
Sometimes, it’s hard to understand God’s plan. It’s easy to expect God to do what we want, but His plan may differ dramatically. In these moments, we must trust in God and know that He has a plan. Like a small child whose parents take them to the doctor for a vaccination, the child doesn’t understand why they’re being subjected to pain, but the parents see the bigger picture. They know the good that will come from it. In the same way, God not only sees the bigger picture—He sees the entire picture. God’s plan for salvation, our salvation, may not align with how we envision it, but trusting in Him is part of that plan. The Apostles had to learn to trust what Jesus was telling them, even though it must have seemed incomprehensible at the time. What they discovered was that God had a far greater plan than they expected. By trusting in God, He would not only deliver Israel but the entire world—not from earthly enemies, but from their sins through the cross. He would then unite them, through baptism, by His death and resurrection, making them true members of God’s family. As the psalmist says today, “Hope in God; I will praise Him, my Savior and my God.”