[ Today's Readings ]
"But who do you say that I am?"
Peter said to him in reply,
"You are the Christ."
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
It's hard not to talk about Jesus when you start to realize who he is. But why does Jesus tell them not to do so? Probably because right now they still don't understand well enough.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
This is still before the cross and resurrection. The disciples know something about who Jesus is, about his power, and about how important is the message of the Kingdom. But they don't know enough. Peter receives the revelation of who Jesus is from the Father but he is still all too ready to divert him from the reason why he came. There is still a missing element that must be in place before the proclamation can go forth to all nations.
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high (see Luke 24:49).
The Holy Spirit is poured forth at the cross of Jesus. He is received at Pentecost, which is appropriated for us in Baptism and Confirmation. He makes us able to see the cross yet to come and not to shrink back. With him we can endure for the joy set before us. We now have the freedom necessary to proclaim the true message of the kingdom. We can lose our lives so as to save them.
As the flood waters of baptism recede and the dove of the Spirit descends we now go forth into a new creation. We are fertile and multiply the children of God and of his Kingdom.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence
We subdue any false teachings or spirits that set themselves against that kingdom.
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (see Second Corinthians 10:5).
With these pretenders cleared away we begin to behold even now the beauty of heaven, the unchanging stability and certain of the promise of God.
"This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth."
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