We pick up Mathew’s Gospel today at Chapter 16.  This means that we are listening to the mid-way chapters of the 28 chapter gospel.  And this chapter provides a turn in the gospel narrative.  After the preaching of the earlier chapters and the missionary work of the disciples and the experience of rejection, Mathew presents us with Jesus who is now taking his disciples aside and forming them for the future.  A couple of significant moments occur in these chapters.  Last week, we heard Jesus put a question to his disciples – “who do people say that I am?”  This question follows the preaching and healing activity of Jesus.  He then asks his disciples, “what are people saying?”  Many answers follow, indicating that people are talking about Jesus as if he was one of the greats prophet making a come back.  Peter speaks up – “you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”  This is a reflection for the early Church and the community of Matthew.  By the time this gospel is written Peter is long dead.  The community for whom this gospel is written are faced with the question.  Who is Jesus?  Matthew wants them to know that Peter named it.  Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one, the awaited one, sent from God.  Moreover, he is the Son of the Living God.  Peter’s answer becomes ‘rock’.  You are Peter, the rock – you have seen and understood.  Jesus is the fulfilment of the law and the prophets, the life giving Son of God. 

This incident is followed with today’s passage.  Jesus begins to explain the destination of the Son of the living God.  He is destined for Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is the place of death.  Peter again intervenes, “no this must not happen to you.”  Now the rock of the Church becomes a block – a stumbling block, an obstacle.  As Brendan Byrne tells us Peter becomes a rock of stumbling rather than a rock of insight.  This text probably reflects the reality of this early Christian community.  They are struggling with rejection and possibly persecution, because of their confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God.  They need encouragement and reassurance. 

There is something about following Christ that means that each one takes up their own cross.  Again in the words of Brendan Byrne this is ‘not an attempt to extinguish all joy and fulfilment in life, but a refusal to acquiesce in the self-centred and ultimately futile attempts of the false-self to grasp at the gratification and ambitions a purely competitive view of life makes obligatory.’ 

It’s interesting that Brendan Byrne contrasts cross and competition.  But it’s true.  Peter wants Jesus to be a successful leader almost at all costs.  No says Jesus.  No says the Gospel.  Being committed to stand by the marginalised, those with little or no rights will bring with it derision and hatred. 

And for us too, following the way of the cross means that we are not afraid of what apparently seems to be weakness, folly or diminishment.  These in fact are often the places of resurrection, forgiveness, healing.

The foundation of the Church is built on a confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ and that the Christ is not the triumphant King but the humble, giver of life who stands by the poor.  It will be in the name of this Messiah that the disciples will be called at the end of the Gospel to preach to all nations.  

By Fr Brendan Reed