Mark 8:27-35
“You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Mark 8:33)
God's plan for our lives is rooted in his goodness and love. God's intentions towards us are always for our good. Have you ever prayed for a specific outcome, but God gave you something different? Something even better than you could have imagined yourself? This is the will of God and how God wants us to think.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals himself to the disciples and says “the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.” Peter does not yet understand the mystery of the Messiah and how his mission is to be revealed through suffering on the cross. Although Peter hears Jesus' warnings about the dangers ahead in Jerusalem, he isn't truly listening to God's plan. His mindset is clouded by his own limited perspective. Peter’s thoughts are focused on protecting Jesus, rooted in his personal attachment, rather than a surrender to God's will. This kind of thinking is centered on human understanding rather than divine wisdom.
When Peter takes Jesus aside to persuade Him not to go to Jerusalem, Jesus rebukes him sharply: “Get behind me, Satan.” Peter’s reaction reflects our common human tendency: we think we know better than God and have all the answers, too. This reveals how easily our pride takes the lead in our lives, placing our desires and understanding at the center. Jesus sees through this, calling us to recognize where we are allowing ourselves to overshadow God’s purpose.
Imagine how the story of Christ’s suffering would have been different if Jesus had not aligned Himself to the will of God. The world would be in a much different place. However, Jesus’ alignment with the will of the Father led to Him conquering sin and death to redeem us all. Letting God guide our lives will bring us to greater happiness in the end, even if there is suffering.
God asks that we carry our cross and follow Him in total commitment. This is surely not a simple task. It requires daily self-denial in our earthly lives, but it results in greater happiness for all eternity.
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