An Obstacle

Homily for Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do people say that I am?” This story is recounted in all three of the synoptic Gospels. We are very familiar with the answer that he receives from the apostles. We are also familiar with Peter’s statement of faith: “You are the Christ!” Though the story appears in each of the synoptic Gospels, each evangelist uses the story for a different purpose.

This is the turning point in the Gospel of Mark. The disciples had just witnessed some impressive miracles – the healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter, the curing of the man who was deaf and mute, the feeding of the multitudes, and the gradual cure of the blind man of Bethsaida. They would have been struck with awe by the great powers and the great popularity that Jesus enjoyed. So the next statement that Jesus makes would certainly have startled them. He speaks openly about how he will be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and the scribes. He will suffer and die. Peter, who has just made a statement of faith, rebukes Jesus for such a notion. As a result, Jesus says to him, “Get behind me, Satan!”

There is no question that this is a startling statement. We are used to thinking of Satan as the devil. However, this is not what Jesus intends. The word “Satan” actually means “obstacle.” That is exactly what Peter will become unless he changes his tune. Jesus realizes that his death and resurrection are necessary if he is to fulfill his mission of saving humankind. When Jesus tells Peter to “get behind me,” he is simply stating that Peter is not the one who is leading; he is supposed to follow. Taken in this context, the statement makes much more sense.

We are all called to follow Jesus. This means that we must follow Jesus on his terms. Our lives are not in our control. We have been called to let God control who we are and what we are to do. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. While it may be easier for us to understand the mission of Jesus because we have already seen the completion of that mission, it is still difficult for us to give up our sense of power in determining our own lives. In that respect, we could all become an obstacle to the grace God wishes to give us.