FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
THE WAY FORWARD IN CHRIST
(Part 208)
CHALLENGES TO OUR CHURCH
August 5, 2021
Today’s gospel:
Matthew 16:13-23
In today’s gospel, we see four very important aspects of our life of faith with regard to our very own Church and her mission.
First, when Jesus asked his disciples who people say is the Son of Man, they gave names of prophets—John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, other prophets (v.13-14). In his life and mission, Jesus was looked on as a prophet. A prophet is one who speaks for God, who stands in the place of God, who is zealous for God’s righteousness. This too is our call. We are to be prophets, and we are to speak prophetically. This is especially important today when the faith is very much under assault.
Second, Jesus appointed Peter as the rock on which he would build his church, assuring him that “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (v.18). This points to the missionary dimension of the Church that Jesus has established. This meaning of this verse is not that the enemy cannot prevail against the Church as it assaults her (which it cannot), but it is about the Church being the one assaulting the gates of the enemy, and assuring that the enemy’s gates will fall. So this points us to the work of evangelization, which engages us in spiritual warfare. We are not just to be on defensive posture, but are to go on the offensive.
Third, Jesus “strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.” This was because his time had not yet come. He had to do more of the groundwork to prepare for the ensuing work of the Kingdom after he left the scene. But for Christians today, we are told specifically to proclaim to everyone that Jesus is the Messiah. But most Christians are not doing so. And so there is a lack of laborers for the harvest. Jesus tells us to go and proclaim the gospel to all. That is his command to us. It is our responsibility but more so our privilege.
Fourth, Peter rebuked Jesus for saying that he would have to suffer greatly (v.22), and then Jesus “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.’” (v.23). Today many in the Church, including at the high levels, are thinking as human beings do and not as God does. They have become modernists. They are concerned about the well-being of man but at the expense of the righteousness of God. As such, they are obstacles to the authentic gospel and the age-old teachings of the Church. We must be watchful of such modernist views, which are antithetical to the authentic faith. Jesus rebuked Peter, the first pope. He called him Satan! This can happen to our hierarchs as well, including at the highest level.
So we are to go all out for the work of the Kingdom.
