24th Sunday - Theological Formulations & Life Implications
The story is said of Sherlock Holms and Dr. Watson on a camping trip. One night, Holmes woks up Watson and said, “Look up into the sky and tell me what you see.” Watson said, “I see millions of stars.” Again, Holms asked, “What does that tell you?” Watson said, “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and planets. Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant. From the weather perspective it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Then Watson asked, “What does it tell you?” Holmes answered. I think “Someone stole our tent.” Some people are great at theoretical knowledge but when it comes to its implications for practical living, they score zero. Such is Peter in today’s Gospel. Scholars tell us that today’s Gospel reading is the central passage in Mark’s Gospel. From the beginning of the Gospel up to this point has been a preparation for the revelation of Jesus as the Messiah. And from here to the end of the Gospel, deals with the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission as the Messiah. What we have in this passage is Jesus examining his disciples, to see whether they have got the point. The examination is in two parts: a doctrinal or theological part, and a practical part. The first part focuses on the question: “Who do you say that I am?" Peter gives the pointed and correct answer: "You are the Messiah." The importance of this proclamation is brought out more in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus congratulates Peter, saying that this knowledge is a revelation from God. Then he rewards Peter, whose name until then was Simon, by giving him the name Peter, meaning Rock; and promises that upon this rock Jesus, would build his church. That is the end of the first half of the examination, the theoretical part; and Peter emerges in flying colors. The second half of the examination has to do with the practical implications of the conclusion they reached in the first part. "Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again". At this point Peter disagrees seriously with Jesus. Even though he scored 100 in the doctrinal part of the exam, he shows by his words that he knows nothing of the practical implications of what he had said. So Jesus rebuked him saying; "Get behind me, Satan! For you set your mind not on divine things but on human things". Peter who came out in flying colors in the doctrinal section of the exam ends up as the Satan in the practical section, which is really the decisive point. Whenever we come together to celebrate the Eucharist and the sacraments, like Peter, we are also proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah in our life. But when it comes to practical life, we too struggle like Peter with so many questions and excuses. Because His message is an invitation to take up the cross and follow Him. It looks like saying; I offer you pain, suffering, rejection, sorrow and death. But today Jesus invites all of us to read the cross as He meant. The cross here means commitment, the way we live. For example, if you want to be a star in Olympics, you must take up your cross daily. You forgo entertainments, certain foods and commit yourself to a routine of long day practice and self – discipline. If you want to be a doctor or lawyer or whatever, there are the crosses of commitment to bear: long hours of study and practice and internship and so on. If you want your marriage to be successful, you take up your cross daily: responsibilities, patience, forgiveness, sacrifices and so on. And if you want to be a disciple of Jesus; you take up your cross; fidelity, practicing the faith, compassion, kindness, ethics, forgiving and so on. There is a cost to such commitments. But the final result is success and joy. And to reach that point we have to commit ourselves in our life. So, the point is that Jesus is saying nothing more than what human nature knows: no gain without pain, no crown without cross, no humanity without commitment. The commitment always brings the cross as it always brings joy. So, let us ask God today to make us solid as the rock in our profession of faith, and also in our practical commitment to the demands of the faith.