August 30, 2026: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

Reflection

What re we to make of this Gospel? Poor Peter! Last week he professed his faith by naming “… The Christ, the Son of the Living God ..” and Jesus blessed him for it. This week, out of the same love, he remonstrates with Jesus for talking about his upcoming suffering and death – and this time Jesus calls him Satan and tells him to get behind him, get back in line where following Jesus is the way.

Jesus then goes on to tell his disciples that following his way is going to require hard things of them. Things like losing one’s life for the sake of the Gospel. Like taking up a cross just as Jesus will. There is nothing we can give, Jesus says, but our whole selves. Nothing less will do. There is no substitute for it. This passage challenges us all, first to put on the mind of Christ and “think as God does,” through a lens of love, mercy and justice. And second, to give our whole selves to living that life.