Turning points, thinking like God and dying to self

I preached today but it was one of those homilies not written down.  I don't expect to reproduce here but I remember some highlights based on my preparation for the homily.  As we face the end of another weekend and approach another week ahead what can we take away from today's Liturgy of the Word?

I'm always struck by this Gospel because it marks a turning point in the public ministry of Jesus and it certainly was a turning point or two for Peter.  Jesus has been on the move during his ministry and Mark takes us to the area known as Caesarea Philippi, an area that marked the furthest point he traveled away from Jerusalem before turning back.  It also marked the point where he challenged the Apostles to identify him.  Peter, given this special moment of grace, identifies Jesus as the Christ.  Wow.  What a turning point for Peter.  Jesus continues to teach them how he must suffer and be put to death and after 3 days rise.  It is as if Peter hears the first part of Jesus' remarkable statement and immediately says, no way, not on my watch.  These things will not happen to you Jesus; no way!

Get behind me Satan, you think as a man, not as God thinks!  Another turning point.  Most likely Peter felt confusion, hurt, bewilderment.  But Jesus used Peter's very human moment to teach him and us a lesson.  No one, you and me included, should prevent God's will from being done.  In this case, Jesus told them exactly what was to happen and they were not to change it.  How often do we know what we must do, to follow God's plan or to follow a teaching of the Church, and we pause and change our mind because we know better?  We know it happens.  Now before we get to tough on ourselves, can we agree that it might be difficult to always know how God is thinking?  For sure.  Often we should take our decisions and actions and even our words to prayer first.  We should always, in prayer, seek to do God's will.  And we can very much know what the official position of a given Church teaching is.  We can read our Catechism, or follow other means to know what the Church teaches as opposed to what we think.

What about this dying to self.  We know, from our own liveed experiences, that often we follow Christ in word, and even in deed, but we hold back.  Our own instincts take over and we bargain with God or with ourselves.  If we truly died to self, to the demands of this world, and give ourselves fully, completely to Jesus, then will we know true peace; the peace that helps us through both good and bad times, and we will truly be free!

May our prayer this week, using today's Gospel from Mark chapter 8, to pray for greater awareness of those turning points that move us closer to Jesus, to be able to think more like God, or to at least follow the true teachings of the Church and to dye more to self and live for Him!