September 12, 2021
Sunday Nọmba 24 for Ordinary Time, Year B
Readings for Today
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Jesus begin teach di Apostles say di Son of Man must suffer plenty, and di elders, di chief priests and di scribes must reject Am; dem must kill Am, and E must rise after three days. E talk this one openly. Then Peter take Am go one side and begin rebuke Am. At this, Jesus turn, look His disciples, rebuke Peter and talk say, “Go behind Me, Satan. You no dey think as God dey think, but as human beings dey think.” Mark 8:31–33
Most likely, this no be di answer wey Peter expect from Jesus. Peter dey struggle with fear as Jesus explain say E go suffer plenty and die for di hands of di religious leaders of that time. Peter love Jesus, and di thought say his Master go suffer and dem go kill Am dey make am fear and worry. So, because fear and confusion dey worry Peter, e try to “make Jesus see reason.”
Wetin come happen? Jesus rebuke Peter for front of di other Apostles. Jesus even talk reach say, “Go behind Me, Satan.” That one must don pain Peter.
To understand this one well, we must first accept wetin clear: di words wey Jesus talk na words of great love. Jesus no fit do anything wey no come from love. So, we must try understand how these strong words wey Jesus talk show love and holiness.
Di key to understand this one na di second thing wey Jesus talk: “You no dey think as God dey think, but as human beings dey think.” Jesus just reveal to di Apostles di deepest mystery of di mission of His life. That is, E just reveal say His mission na to accept persecution wey no just and death for di hands of di religious leaders. But as E reveal this one, e still clear say E plan to bring good out of this suffering. E no for allow this suffering if no be because of some greater good. Di hard part be say, to understand this great mystery of suffering, person need deep faith. Jesus dey challenge di Apostles to see this matter as God dey see am. E hard Peter to do so, and na why Jesus need to challenge am so directly.
Di rebuke wey Jesus give Peter come from love, to help Peter break free from his fear and di way e dey see only small part of di matter, so that e fit enter into this deep mystery of di sacrifice wey Jesus make out of love.
Today, reflect on how you yourself dey struggle with di Kros of Christ. His suffering still dey present for our world through di love and sacrifices of His sons and daughters. When Christians suffer because of their faith, we must see this one as God dey see am, no be as human beings dey see am. We must see di blessings from God wey follow this kind suffering, and we must accept them according to di great mystery of God plan.
Lord, me too no get di faith wey I need to see di blessings wey follow Your Kros, and di many crosses wey I receive for life. Help me make my faith pure, so that I fit see Your hand dey work for everything, even suffering, injustice and persecution. Make I see life only as You dey see am. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint of di Day – Di Holy Name of di Blessed Virgin Mary
Dem no dey celebrate am as memorial for liturgy this year because e fall on Sunday
Di featured picture above: Di Rebuking or Calling of Saint Peter, through Wikimedia Commons
