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Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Jeremiah 20:7–9; Romans 12:1–2; Matthew 16:21–27
Peter had just made his great confession:
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
But now Jesus begins to show the disciples what kind of Christ He is.
He must go to Jerusalem. He must suffer. He must be killed. And on the third day, He will be raised.
Peter cannot accept this.
He takes Jesus aside and says:
Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you.
It sounds like love. It sounds like concern. It sounds like good advice.
But Jesus hears another voice inside it.
Get behind me, Satan!
These words are hard, but they reveal something important.
Not every piece of advice that sounds kind leads us to God. Not every voice that wants to protect us helps us follow Christ.
Peter wants a Messiah without the cross. He wants salvation without suffering. He wants victory without self-giving love.
But Jesus knows His road.
This was not the first time He had heard such advice.
In the desert, the tempter told Him:
turn stones into bread, impress the crowds, take power without obedience to the Father.
Later, even His family thought He was out of His mind.
Again and again, Jesus had to refuse the easier road.
And in Gethsemane, He prayed:
Father, not what I want, but what you want.
Jesus did not come to save His life.
He came to give it to save others.
And then He turns to all His disciples.
He says to us:
If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
It is beautiful to confess Jesus as the Christ.
But confession must become following.
And following Jesus cannot be reduced to admiration.
It asks for a life.
Away from the self as the center.
Toward Christ as Lord.
Away from fear.
Toward love.
Away from saving our own little life.
Toward receiving true life from Him.
If we spend life looking only for comfort, security, approval, and safety,
we may keep many things,
but lose ourselves.
The lives that bless the world are usually not built on playing safe.
Jeremiah knew this.
God’s word burned in him like fire.
Paul knew this.
He said:
Do not be conformed to this world.
Jesus knew this.
He could not play it safe.
He had to go to Jerusalem.
So today, the question is simple:
Can we confess a crucified Messiah
and still try to live safely without the cross?
Which advice am I listening to?
The advice of fear? The advice of comfort? The advice of success? The advice of family pressure? The advice of saving myself at any cost?
Or the voice of Christ?
This week, choose one small step behind Jesus.
Do what love asks, not only what comfort allows.
Jesus gave His life for us.
And on the third day, He was raised.
Now He says:
Follow me.
Biblical Reflections on the Gospel of Matthew
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition,
copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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