Scripture:
Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28c
Matthew 17:22-27
Reflection:
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus makes the first prediction of his coming passion and death late in Chapter 16. This prediction bewilders, confuses and frustrates his disciples resulting in the occasion in which Peter took Jesus aside rebuking him saying: “God forbid, Lord!” No such thing shall ever happen to you”. Of course, Jesus, in turn rebukes Peter telling him to “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” This interchange is followed directly by Jesus’ discussion of the conditions of discipleship, involving each of his followers to take up their own crosses to follow him.
Shortly thereafter in Chapter 17, Jesus presents the second prediction of his passion and death. He tells his disciples: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” The verse then describes the disciples as being “overwhelmed with grief”. However, there is no additional discussion about the second prediction.
Rather, the Gospel turns immediately to a discussion in Capernaum between Peter and the collectors of the temple tax (distinct from Roman taxes) about whether the teacher pays the temple tax. Obviously, to fulfill the prophesy of his own passion and death, the Jewish authorities have begun to bait Jesus and his followers. However, since his time had not yet come, Jesus thwarts the temple tax collectors’ devices by instructing Peter to “go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”
It is not uncommon for certain species of fish to ingest shiny objects off of a lake bottom or the seafloor. In this passage, Jesus knew the precise moment in time and place when a certain fish would appear with an ingested coin that would be worth twice the temple tax. While this clever diversion by Jesus forestalls the Jewish authorities attempts to build a case against him, it in no way relieves the anxiety, confusion and frustration that the disciples had begun to experience in the wake of his two recent predictions.
Thereafter, in Chapter 20, Jesus makes his third prediction about his passion and death. The disciples can no longer wonder about what the implications of these bold predictions are. By this point no one, except Jesus, wants to return to Jerusalem, even for the Passover celebration. But the disciples have all been challenged, after the first prediction, to deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow him. What choice did they have? What choice do we have? Will the disciples return to Jerusalem with him? Will they celebrate the final Passover, and then witness the horrific persecution and death that their master is to endure? Will we be in their midst?. Will we follow him every step of the way no matter how gut-wrenching and traumatic the experience is? Will we stand with his mother, his beloved disciple and the other women at the foot of the cross? If not, why not? We know it is coming. We know it is our path to eternal glory. We only need to pray for the faith, the courage and the stamina to walk the walk and talk the talk. It will not be easy. However, by invocation, the Holy Spirit will see us through just as he did for the disciples in that upper room. So let us pray fervently for the determination to keep moving forward no matter the anxiety, confusion and frustration that we are sure to encounter along the way. The joy at the end of the journey will be eternal.
Bill Berger has had a lifelong relationship with the Passionist Family. Bill and his wife, Linda, are currently leaders of the Community of Passionist Partners (CPP’s) in Houston, Texas.