Gospel Meditation

September 3, 2023

Isn’t it easy to relate to Peter? One moment Jesus announces Peter’s deep communion with God the Father. The very next, when he rejects the logic of Jesus’ suffering and death, Jesus calls Peter Satan. We Christians shouldn’t be too shocked when we experience both spiritual highs and lows, when we perceive breathtaking contradictions in our hearts.
Like the great apostle, you and I are recipients of unfathomable graces. God dwells in us, calls his beloved children, and takes care of our every need. And we also continually fail to embrace our sufferings with trust in Jesus. We know the truth of the creed, but we easily scorn the weight of the cross.
The good news is that, like Peter, we are never abandoned by the Lord even at our worst moments. Peter will eventually learn the beauty of the cross when he is willingly crucified. But it took time for him to get there. And it takes time for us, too. This week let’s not be too shocked at these divisions in our hearts but accept them and patiently seek to be more obedient to Jesus’ cross-shaped plan for us. — Father John Muir ©LPi