“Opening our hearts to listen and do what God wants of us!”

(Based on Gen 9:1-13 and Mk 8:27-33 – Thursday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

The famous incident of President Abraham Lincoln during the US civil war goes thus…

The President met a group of church leaders for a prayer-cum-breakfast.

At one point during the breakfast, one of the leaders remarked: “Mr President, let us pray, that in this time of the Civil War, God is on our side”

But Abraham Lincoln, replied with a much-greater insight…
… “No gentlemen. Let us pray that we are on God’s side!”

It was a reminder by the President that religion ought not to be a tool to get God to do what we want…
… but a way of life, to open our hearts to listen and do what God wants of us!

Are we on the side of God?
… or are we on the other side, and expecting God to bend Himself to our ways and styles of life?

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful reminder of the Lord to examine our lives…
… and check, “if we are on the side of God!”

On reaching the villages of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus put forth the two-question examination to His disciples:

“Who do people say that I am?” (Mk 8:27)
“Who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8: 29)

After having given various views of what the people felt, Peter, the leader, gives the answer: “You are the Christ” (Mk 8:29b)

Although, Peter had given the right answer, the following statements by Jesus on His Passion, Death and Resurrection, scandalized Peter!

Peter had a set and standard understanding of a Messiah – as did the Jews of his time…
… a leader who would wield power and Icontrol
… a liberator who would exercise supremacy and command.

So when Jesus spoke of a “Servant-Leader” (Mk 8:31)…
… One Who would suffer
… One Who would subjected to the mercy of the other

Peter could no longer stand himself!

He began to rebuke Jesus (Mk 8:32b).

But Jesus had to set things right…
… and so He would rebuke Him back strongly: “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men!” (Mk 8:33)

Though Peter had made a correct statement about Jesus…
… it was still only a partial sight!

He still needed a “second intervention”, in order to see fully.

This was just as it was in the Healing of the Blind Man in the previous passage (Mk 8:22-25)

The blind man initially could only see “people walking, like trees” (Mk 8:24)

But after the “second touch” from Jesus, he was able to see fully.

Jesus was reminding Peter, by the strong rebuke…
… that Christian Life is not about “we wanting our way; it is about we seeking and doing God’s Will in life!”

Yes, Christianity is a Way of Life, that constantly asks us: “Are we on the side of God?

In our everyday life, we come across plenty of opportunities, when we need to make this discernment:

Either to be on the side of God…
… or to go against Him!

We need to examine seriously our prayer life…
“Do we seek God’s Will in prayer…
… or do we seek to impose our will on Him?”

“Do we place our worries and problems before our God (Who knows all!)…
… or do we also command Him, on how and when these problems ought to be solved?”

Sometimes, we do have tendencies, to pull God into our boundary…
… instead of we moving to God’s side!

Today, the Lord clearly reminds us, as He rebuked Peter…
… to constantly be on the “side of God”.

Like Peter…
… we may have our own justifications to think the way we do
… we may have our own fears in encountering a Suffering God

The Lord, is clear and constant in His presentation of Christianity: “Seek to be on the side of God”

Yes, let us allow the Lord to mellow our hearts…

So that we can understand that religion ought not to be a tool to get God to do what we want…
… but a way of life, to open our hearts to listen and do what God wants of us!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Ten Commandments – The Second Commandment

When it is truthful and legitimate, an oath highlights the relationship of human speech with God’s truth.

A false oath calls on God to be witness to a lie. (CCC # 2151)