To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 20:7-9; Rom 12:1-2; Mt. 16:21-27
It
was the season of Lent and a teacher was explaining the Stations of the Cross
to her Sunday school class. They got to the fourth Station where Jesus on the
road to Calvary meets his mother. The teacher explained that even though this
incident was not narrated by any of the four evangelists, it was very much part
of the tradition of the Church and though they may not have talked to each
other, mother and son would surely have spoken just using their eyes. “What do
you think they said to each other?” she asked the children in her class. There
were different answers. One boy suggested that Mary said, “This is unfair.”
Another girl suggested that she said, “Why me?” Finally, a sickly little girl
raised her thin hand, got up and said: “Teacher, I know what the Blessed Mother
told Jesus. She said to him, ‘My son, keep on keeping on!’”
Why
would a mother encourage her only son on the way to crucifixion to keep on
keeping on? The mother of Jesus would understand that if Jesus did not go to
his cross, he would not be fulfilling the will of his Father, and if he did not
do that, his life would have no meaning whatever. The mother of Jesus would
know that only in his cross would he find his meaning and only in death would
he find new life. This is why she would encourage her son never to give up or
give in, but to persevere all the way even to ignominy, self-denial, the cross
and yes, death itself.
Today’s
readings begin with an example of what is called in scriptural writings a
lament. The prophet Jeremiah laments about unbearable pain, anger, and misery
at unspeakable horrors and uncontrollable events that surround him in his life
as a prophet of God’s Word. He is
hostile towards God whom he believes has “seduced” or “duped” him, and he is
convinced that he will no more mention God or speak in God’s name. Yet, even as
he says this, he realizes that he cannot abandon his prophetic mission which is
a fire burning in his heart, imprisoned in his bones. He is compelled from
within to proclaim God’s word. The Word of God that comes to him, in response
to his outburst of rage, is disquieting. He becomes aware that the misery is
not going to stop or go away. There will be no respite from his torments and
horrors. God simply assures Jeremiah of his presence, to strengthen him to
withstand more misery. Jeremiah must continue to believe even in his unbelief,
he must continue to have faith even in his lack of faith. He must keep on
keeping on.
Peter’s
objection to Jesus’ words of his passion, death and resurrection in the Gospel
text of today sound like the first part of Jeremiah’s lament: Why must God’s
son go to a Cross? Why must God’s son suffer? It would be nothing short of
blasphemy for this to happen, and Peter states emphatically that this can never
be. Surely there is another way. However, in his response to Peter, Jesus
realizes like Jeremiah that it has to be this way. This is why Peter is called
“Satan” which here is to be understood as one who intends to take Jesus away
from his mission and so the will of his Father. Peter is a stumbling block, and
Jesus will let nothing and no one stand between him and his Father’s will. He
realizes that God’s word and will for him is so compelling that he cannot but
fulfill it. It burns in his heart too like a fire that cannot be quenched.
Difficult though it is to go to the Cross and though common sense and reason
would rally against it, to the Cross he must and will indeed go.
Inspired
by this example of Jesus, Paul in writing to the Romans urges them to imitate
the Lord who did not conform to this world but dared to offer his body as a
living and holy sacrifice to God.
Often
in our lives like Jeremiah and Peter, each of us comes across something that is
for all intents and purposes unbearable. Millions of people all over the world
do not have enough to eat and are malnourished while others have more than they
will ever need. Numerous people have no roof over their heads while others
build mansions and palatial homes. A baby dies at birth, another is born
deformed. Sooner or later, bearing the unbearable, we realize how little
control we have over so much that damages our society and ourselves. Grief,
rage, anger, and fear flash to the surface of consciousness and we wonder then
about the kind of God that we believe in. Can this be the God of love? Can this
be the God who demands justice? Can this be the God who makes no distinction
between persons? Can this be the God of the poor and downtrodden? Why must the
world we live in be filled with so much misery and pain?
When
we are bearing the unbearable and are not able to fully understand it, we need
a God who has suffered the depths of weakness, hopelessness, helplessness and
even despair as we ourselves do. No
other God can be trusted or hope to understand, and this is the Good News of
God in Christ. Whatever the unbearable suffering, whatever the uncontrollable
events that afflict and grieve us to the core of our being, God has seen it,
known it, experienced it and taken it into his own life in Jesus who was
crucified, who died and who was raised on the third day. This is why we cannot and must not take
suffering out of the Jesus story since it says to us not that God has obliterated
or removed everything that is unbearable in human misery, not that God has
taken away all cause for pain and anger in human life, not even that God
controls all things, but that God is the one who bears the misery, pain and
helplessness with us and for us. By
bearing the unbearable, God overcomes it and faithfully keeps the conversation
open for life.
