There are a large number of soldiers returning from battle suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I think I first heard the term during the Vietnam War. Prior to that, when soldiers had emotional breakdowns on the front, or after returning home, they were said to have “battle fatigue.”
I wonder what you would call what the prophet Jeremiah is suffering? Judging from the symptoms he is describing, perhaps we could label it “prophet’s fatigue.” The prophet’s task is almost always a difficult one. A prophet doesn’t come from the outside of a community to criticize it. Instead, God usually calls a member of the community to speak a prophetic word to his or her own people. What a difficult task that is. Usually the prophet criticizes the community’s empty liturgical practices, its faltering faith, along with its injustices. “Do justice,” is God’s order to the people. They must perform visible acts of justice, if they are to reflect the God who made a covenant with them.
One of the promises in both Testaments lies in the eschatological hope that, at the end, God will come to set things right among the people. In the New Testament Christ is the sign of God’s plan for us, as he announces the arrival of the reign of God. This new human community is characterized by people living in right relations with one another. Paul describes some of the characteristics of that reign when he says, “There does not exist among you Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
In both Hebrew (Old) and New Testaments the time for just behavior is not to be put off until the end times. God’s will for us is to be done now; we are all to strive for God’s reign and righteousness (Matthew 6:33); we are to hunger and thirst for it (5:6). Jesus, in the Beatitudes, blesses those who are persecuted for the sake of justice (5:10). It’s clear in both Testaments suffering is involved in, not only doing God’s will, but calling others to do the same.
Modern preachers experience the pain of the prophets when they are attacked for preaching justice messages. They are accused of preaching “their thing”–as if they picked a personal favorite theme, which the congregation is forced to listen to. It can be very hard on preachers and other members of the community, as they proclaim and work for the rights of the unborn, elderly, death row inmates, immigrants, women, gays, as well as, economic justice, peace, ecology, etc. It seems the job description of the prophet has persecution written into it. Which takes us back to Jeremiah and today’s first reading.
Jeremiah was given a difficult task by God. Judah was under threat and so its rulers looked around for help from other nations. But Jeremiah’s message to them was that they were to rely on God for their help. Jeremiah thought that the people would be emboldened by this challenge to their faith. His message: trust in God alone, not political powers. It was ignored and, as a result of Judah’s alliance with other countries, the Babylonians invaded the nation, destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple and took the people into exile.
Today we hear Jeremiah’s famous lament. He would have preferred a different message, a less arduous task. He is tempted to keep silent so that he does not have to suffer the reproach his words cause him: “I said to myself… I will speak in God’s name no more.” But he had heard a call from God and God’s words burned within him. He responded to that call and now he feels he is in over his head. Yet, as much as he might like, he can’t turn away from his mission. Why he even feels duped into his situation by God — a more accurate rendering of “duped” would be “seduced.”
Jeremiah first heard the Word of God and then he acted on what he heard. What would happen if we were to spend more time listening to the Word of God? What might we hear? What new direction might we be called to follow? Suppose we hear a word that requires us to make big changes in our lives? Will we have the courage to follow? What we hear my require us to speak out or act on behalf of certain people who, like those in Jeremiah’s time, are encircled by powerful forces. Are we willing to stand with them, despite the cost to our reputation, security and friendships?
Last Sunday Jesus blessed Peter and gave him authority over his mission to build the household of God. Things have turned quickly on Peter as now Jesus calls him a devil and pushes him off. The sound of his rejection reminds us of what Jesus said to the devil when he tempted Jesus in the desert, “Away with you, Satan!”
You can’t blame Peter for trying to save his master from pain and death. But there is more involved than just a devoted disciple’s desire to protect the teacher he loves and follows. Christianity is not an easy walk, all smiles and good feelings. “Finding Jesus,” or having “Jesus in my heart,” might produce initial buoyancy of spirit. But eventually the fuller picture of what following Jesus entails will set in. (Jeremiah was initially attracted by God’s call, but today feels tricked by God because his vocation has caused him much grief.)
Peter should have known better, after all, he’s following the prophet Jesus. If Peter had reflected over the history of his religion he would have remembered how prophets got rejected and killed. Now Peter is facing what Jeremiah faced: he is being called to accept a prophetic role and it will cost. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.”
You can buy a gold cross in any jewelry store. If you are a rock or movie star you can afford to buy a large jewel-encrusted cross to wear before your adoring followers. But that’s not the kind of cross Jesus invites Peter and us to willingly take up each day. We are not likely to suffer crucifixion as Jesus did, but it’s clear Jesus invites his disciples to sacrifice for his sake and for the preaching of the gospel.
Today Paul points out how we disciples are to live. We ought to offer our bodies “as a living sacrifice.” Christians are not to “conform yourselves to this age….” If we choose to follow Christ we will live lives based on a different set of values from what guides those around us. This choice will cost us–friends, family, popularity and even possessions. We cannot buy into the values of our culture without first passing them under the lens of the gospel. At first Peter does not accept the terms of the relationship Jesus is offering. The emphasis on the pain and sacrifice seems to have blocked his ears to what comes along with the cross–life. Peter will, Jesus promises, gain his life.
After we get beyond Jesus’ casting Peter off, we might notice there’s an offer also being made to Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” It’s an initial rejection, Jesus is also telling Peter to go back where disciples should be–behind and following Jesus. That’s the right place for us too, despite our repeated failures to live up to being Jesus’ disciples. Like Peter, in subtle or more obvious ways, we have rejected the cost of discipleship and admit today our need for another chance to keep trying.
We are invited back where we belong–following Jesus. Along with other disciples we will be guided by Matthew over the next weeks as we listen to Jesus’ teachings. We disciples will notice on our journey with Jesus how he daily accepts his cross; the rejection and slander thrown in his path on the road to Jerusalem. As always, Jesus offers forgiveness for wayward and even obstructing disciples. Jesus sees in us what he saw in Peter, a willingness to do the best we can to follow him, even unto death. And so we join Peter as we get behind Jesus and follow him to Jerusalem.
COME, FOLLOW ME
Jesus spent much of his time visiting the villages of Galilee. It was in them that he lived the best days of his life on earth. The simple folks were touched by the messages of the good and forgiving God. The poor felt safe and protected with Him. The sick and the handicapped were grateful because He cured and made them
well again. Jesus, however, did not remain forever among those people who loved Him so much.
Jesus made it very clear to his disciples “that he was destined to go to Jerusalem” because he had to announce the Good News of God’s project for a better
world in the holiest city of the Jewish people. He knew, of course, that such plan was very dangerous and that he might suffer much at the hands of the elders and the chief priests. He would ultimately be put to death by them. But he knew that his Father would raise him up on the third day.
Peter would not allow him to say such things. He would not even hear that Jesus would be nailed to a cross. He would listen only to the fate of the triumphant Messiah who would be raised up on the third day. He took Jesus apart and said: “Heaven preserve you, Lord! This must not happen to you!”
Jesus’ response was unusually harsh because Peter’s attitude was unexpected and strange. Only a little earlier, Peter had proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of the Living God. And now he was using some very dangerous words. Hence, Jesus spoke to him and said: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path.” He was telling him literally: Take your place – behind me – and be my disciple! Just follow me and don’t try to tell me what my Father in Heaven has told me to do.
Jesus wanted to make things as clear as possible. This time, He is not telling Peter that he is the rock upon which he will build his Church; rather he is calling him a “stumbling block”, “an obstacle in my path”. He is not telling Peter that he is talking what his Father has inspired him, but that he is being misled by Satan.
The great temptation of many Christians has been trying to imitate Peter: to proclaim solemnly that Jesus is the “Son of the Living God,” and then follow him without carrying his cross. We want to live according to the Gospel but without any
cost or sacrifice. We want to collaborate in the building of the Kingdom of God and his justice, but without suffering any rejection or persecution. Finally, we are willing to follow Jesus – but “heaven preserve! – we should not suffer the way Jesus suffered.
That is not possible. To be a follower of Jesus will always be dangerous. Anyone choosing to follow him will always end up in trouble and suffer all sorts of tensions. Jesus’ followers will never have an easy life. Even though Jesus’ followers may not have asked for it, they will end up carrying a cross. But, at the same time, they will also find great peace and they will experience God’s unmistakable Love. Christians should never walk ahead of Jesus – just follow Him.
CONFRONTED BY THE CROSS
Last week Peter confessed his faith in Jesus as Messiah. This week, he takes him aside, argues with him, and tries to tell him what to do. Last week Jesus spoke to Peter as a spiritual rock. This week he calls him a Satan and orders him out of his sight. What happened? What make the dramatic difference?
The answer is not hard to find. It was the cross. Jesus confronted His disciples with the fact of the cross. Matthew explains it like this: “Jesus started to indicate to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem to suffer greatly there at the hands of the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and to be put to death.”
Now we understand the shift of mood. The cross is easily the most disturbing factor in the Christian faith. Those first disciples did not want to be confronted by it, and neither do we. The reasons are fairly obvious.
First, it reminds us of the seriousness of our sins. If the cross is both the consequence of and the only solution to man’s moral dilemma, then we must be in more trouble than any of us cares to admit. The worst that could be said of this world is that it is the kind of place, populated by the kind of people who would take the Son of God and nail him to a cross. Yet that is exactly what happened. Human sinfulness is a serious business. It is a spiritual cancer that calls for radical remedy.
Secondly, we don’t like to be confronted by the cross because it speaks to us of sacrificial love. Most of us do not like to make sacrifices, but surely we would not mind if someone else should choose to sacrifice in our behalf. Most of us had rather not be reminded of the sacrifices that have been made in our behalf. This is particularly the case in our attitude toward the supreme sacrifice – Jesus on the cross. If the truth that he did that for us ever takes hold of our hearts, it will call for some commitment that we may not be willing to make.
Finally, the cross confronts us with the challenge of a great adventure. After speaking of His own death, Jesus called on each disciple to deny self, take up a cross, and follow him. And He issues to us the same kind of call. This cross is more than a fact of history. It is a way of living.
A story is said about Father Damien addressing his company of lepers on the island of Molokai. Often he had used the phrase: “You who are lepers.” There came a day when he stood before them and said, “We who are lepers.” It is reported that in that moment the very air became electric; you could hear a pin drop. The people knew they were in the presence of one who had found the principle of the cross.
The cross is more than a reminder that Christ died for us. It is the pattern of how we are to live in the world, but being a follower of Christ means putting the needs of others ahead of our own comfort. It means taking the suffering of other son ourselves to set them free. Being a Christian means living the cross as well as loving it.
WHEN PETER GOT AN EARFUL
Jesus’ public appearance among the people of Galilee caused surprise, admiration and enthusiasm. His disciples, naturally, looked forward to a total success. Jesus, on the other hand, was thinking about His Father’s will. He wanted to see its fulfilment to the end. That is why He told His disciples, from the start, what His ultimate goal would be.
He made it clear to his disciples that He was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests. His death was part of His Father’s plan, and He would die as a consequence of His preaching and actions. His Father, however, would raise him from death. He would not remain indifferent or passive.
Peter, immediately, started to remonstrate with him and refused to even imagine the idea of Christ’s crucifixion. Peter would never accept Christ’s failure. He can only follow the triumphant and victorious Jesus. Hence, Peter takes Jesus aside and says, “This must not happen to you,” and begs Him to forget what He had just said, “Heaven preserve you, Lord!”
Jesus’ answer was very strong, “Get behind me, Satan!” Jesus didn’t even want to see him near Him, because “You are an obstacle in my path.” Peter’s way of thinking was not God’s way but man’s. His Father was thinking about the happiness of all His sons and daughters, not merely the welfare and interests of a few. Peter was speaking like the reincarnation of Satan.
When Peter responded with simplicity to the Father’s revelation, and confessed Jesus to be the Son of God and the Messiah, then he became the Rock upon which Jesus would build His Church. When, motivated by human interests, he pretends to draw Jesus away from the “way of the Cross”, Peter becomes Satan’s ally.
The evangelists remark what Jesus said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan!” That was his place. He asked him to get behind and follow Him as a disciple. Peter should not ask Jesus to turn His plans towards power and victory.
It is, indeed, the Devil’s way when we proclaim Jesus “the Son of the living God” while we refuse to follow Him towards the cross. If many of us choose to act like Peter, then we will have to listen to what Jesus told him, loud and clear.