WEDNESDAY REFLECTION
Midweek Reflection
15th September 2021
Jesus connects Messiah-ship with suffering and death. In his Gospel, Mark tells of the first time that Jesus speaks to the disciples about suffering and death. He does so twice more later on. But that first time comes as a surprise to Peter and the others. They are rather thinking in terms of power and conquest. At that point, the earthly trumping the spiritual. So Peter protests really quite forcibly. He puts into words the very temptations which assail the Lord. At that point did Peter think that he knew better than God what a soul should do? The tempter’s voice.
In our days, sadly, the media,bad politicians and celebrities seems to have a strong influence over young people. But they do not decide the moral law. God does. In the Gospel, it’s not so much that Jesus calls Peter, “Satan” as that He sees Satan present in the situation. Jesus is actually addressing Satan with the same words he had used previously when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. Peter will become the Rock. Satan will always be the barrier…. especially when he seems to be a friend. Not so long ago, I read a story called “Gareth and Lynette” by Alfred Lord Tennyson. It tells the tale of Bellicent whose two sons, Gawain and Modred are Knights of the Round Table at the Court of King Arthur. Her youngest son, Gareth wants to follow their lead. His mother, out of love of course, wants to protect him from a dangerous and chivalrous life and promises him a comfortable life going with the hunt and dining at a rich table. He was her baby boy after all! But Gareth says, “O mother, how can you keep me tethered to you – Shame. Man am I grown, a man’s work must I do. Follow the deer? Follow the Christ, the King, live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King – Else, wherefore born?”
Just in case you are wondering…..the Lynette of the story is his beloved whom after rejection and various acts of gallantry, he weds. Saint Peter had to learn to follow the King when the Lord called him. The tempter’s voice had no place; no part to play. As we pray this week, and hopefully on other days too, for vocations to the priesthood, we believe that from our young men, the imperious voice of Jesus, and not the voice of the world, will be heard one more.
Monsignor Monaghan
