The miracles of loaves and fish (Mt 14 and 15), the walking on the water with Peter (Mt 14), and the miraculous cures of the sick (Mt 14 and 15); then Jesus asks his disciples who they think he is. Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
But when Jesus foretold his disciples about his Passion, the same Peter scold Jesus, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”
It is easier for us to praise God and to acknowledge his grace and power when we experience wonderful things happening in life. But how many of us would be willing to take sufferings of life as a means to participate in the Passion of Jesus Christ?
No one finds suffering pleasant. But we can still accept suffering. Denying makes suffering unbearable. But, accepting suffering brings fruit. Jesus accepted his Passion, not because he liked it, but because suffering is our reality and it is the reality that really brings something good. Denying or avoiding suffering is lying because much part of our life is suffering. If we suffer, let us give some time to think about what this suffering would bring us.
Tags: matthew 16, passion, suffering, week 18, year ii
