SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE.

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Mark 8:27-33 “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Are we like Peter? Do we judge by human standards? Or do we strive to judge by God’s standards? The Lord began to explain what would happen but Peter did not agree with what he was hearing. A Messiah must suffer, be rejected, die a violent death is unacceptable for Peter. It is quiet different to his understanding of the role of the Messiah. He did not like the path that Jesus set forth. He was called Satan because he was tempting Jesus to abandon the path of persecution and sufferings. Suffice it to say, Peter failed to pick up and understand the mission of Jesus. Our saviour is a suffering-servant. Folks, the way of love is to cross the path of sufferings. Remember this: the more we avoid suffering the more we suffer! Embrace your pain. Enjoy your struggles. Friends, sometimes we think and behave like Peter. Why? Because we like to listen to the promises of Satan than the promises of God. We love the crown than the cross. We enjoy triumps without trials. We loved to received blessings without burdens. Our gospel is reminding us that Christ makes it clear that his disciples must be ready to follow in his footsteps. Today, let us ask the Lord to give us the grace to accept difficulties with joy. Friends, the path to salvation necessarily leads through the sorrow and joy of the cross. God proved His love on the cross. Blessings Fr. Jhack