“Get Behind Me, Satan!”

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Gerard Majella Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

August 31, 2014

In the Gospel of last Sunday taken from Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asked the Apostles, “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter made a profound act of faith when he said, “You are the Christ (that is, the Messiah, the Savior), the Son of the living God.” Jesus praised and blessed him for recognizing and confessing him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Shortly after that, Jesus told his Apostles that being the messiah means that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Peter did not like the words of Jesus. He was not impressed at all. It’s never a generally accepted norm for someone to wish or to predict doom and gloom upon himself or herself. So, out of protective love and concern, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him saying: “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” As Peter was rebuking Jesus and rebuking any evil from coming to him, Jesus sensed that the Evil One has seized the thought of Peter. He realized that if anyone needed a casting and binding prayer, a deliverance prayer, a prayer of rebuke, it is not him but Peter. So, he exercised his ministry right away: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human being do”  (Matthew 16:23).

Don’t blame Peter for not wanting any harm to come upon his Master. Don’t blame him for protecting the interest of his Master. Isn’t that what a good friends do for each other? But God had already spoken through the mouth of Prophet Isaiah saying “…my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my way” (Isaiah 55:8)  Jesus’ way is the way of the cross. His way is the way of redemptive suffering. His way is the way of thorns and cross. Jesus understood perfectly the principle of “no cross, no crown.” Many of us are like Peter in today’s Gospel. We are joyful and excited to hear about the peace, love, and joy that our faith can bring to us. We are extremely happy to hear of prosperity, breakthrough, healing and deliverance that could come from believing in Jesus. In many churches, including the Catholic Church, there is usually a very strong “Amen” at the end of the prayer for material blessings. Most Christians love to hear about financial breakthrough and prosperity, healing and miracles etc but once the topic of discussion is the cross, many don’t wanna hear about it. Peter is like many Christians today who believe in the theology of no cross, all crowns. But Jesus teaches us today that without the cross, there will be no crown. Without death, there will be no resurrection. In John 12:24, Jesus says, “I tell you most solemnly, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Now, when Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan” did he in any way suggest that Peter was satanic? Absolutely not! Was he saying that Peter was an evil person? No, he did not! He sensed that the Devil had influenced the mind of Peter, and was telling him what to say. Jesus saw that Satan was trying to use his bosom friend to derail or prevent the work of God from moving forward. The Tempter was using Peter to talk Jesus out of his mission, part of which involved suffering and death. So, looking intently at Peter but beyond Peter, Jesus said, “Get behind me Satan.” 

If there’s anyone trying to discourage you from giving yourself totally to God, say to that individual, “Get behind me Satan.” When a voice within you asks you to do anything that violates the law of God, say to it, “Get behind me Satan.” If there’s any situation that wants to prevent you from keeping your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, say to it, “Get behind me Satan.” To that voice urging you to hate and discriminate, say, “Get behind me Satan.” If someone tells you not to forgive your offender, say to the person, “Get behind me Satan.” If pain or sickness or difficulty in life is trying to make you lose faith, say to it, “Get behind me Satan.” If anything or anyone has become an obstacle and has prevented you from using your time, talent and treasure in the house of God, say to it today, “Get behind me Satan.” If you’ve become too busy to go to church and too busy to pray, then it’s time to say to whatever is taking the place of God in your life, “Get behind me Satan.” Whatever it is that has been preventing you from accomplishing God’s mission for you, God’s calling for you, speak with Jesus, “Get behind me Satan.”

May the devil always stay behind us and stay away from us!