God's direction
When someone takes a position or heads off in one direction, you just know what’s coming next. Someone else is going to take the opposite position. Or head off in the opposite direction.
It almost doesn’t matter what the position or direction is. It could be something simple or something difficult. Something novel or something obvious.
There’s just something about us. Something in human nature, that’s hard-wired to be contrary.
Start with our native contrariness. Throw in our over-arching need to be right. Plus a dash of ego. And you have a recipe for deep, damaging divisions.
Leading us into the trap of seeing the world, of seeing people, as either on our side. The right side. Or as wrong. And our enemies.
You see it everywhere. It happens even between people who have so very much in common. People who – you would think – should be the closest of friends and allies.
Which is why the last part of today’s Gospel is so important. It’s a moment that’s easy to miss.
Peter is pulling Jesus to do one thing. It’s nothing bad. But it’s not what Jesus knows God is calling Him to do either.
Instead of telling Peter that he’s wrong, and heading off in the opposite direction. Instead of being like us.
Jesus doesn’t worry about who’s right and who’s wrong. Jesus doesn’t waste time picking sides.
Jesus rejects the whole us-versus-them dynamic. A dynamic that we – as human beings – are way too comfortable with. A dynamic that’s the secret sauce in our recipe for division.
Jesus gently but firmly ignores the whole thing. And heads out in God’s direction.
May God grant us the grace to always do the same.
Today’s Readings
