In The Gospels we see Jesus not getting exited about what we people usually get exited about. We see in Luke chapter 10 vs. 17 and 20 when the disciples returned from preaching the good news: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name… and Jesus responded “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven”; or Luke 12, 31 when they were warning Jesus about someone that was trying to kill Him …Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you… and with peace and not paying to much attention He responded “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose... or in the beginning of Mark 1, 37 The excitement because popularity was obvious and they said to Jesus “Everyone is looking for you.” The Lord, instead of growing in popularity like a politician or a Hollywood star will do today He responded: “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come… or even when they said to Him that His Mother and His brothers were looking for Him in Matthew 12, 47 He responded: “who is my mother? Who are my brothers? For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
It seams that things of the earth; praising, success, and persecution, is not the main problem for Him. But if a pagan woman like the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15, 28 comes to Him and understands that the bread of the sons of Israel may come at least as scraps of bread to her, then Jesus reacts in a different way: Great is your faith woman, let it be done according to your wish.
The Heart of Jesus is, as we see, set up as a clear mission and nothing is more important than that: To announce the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Peter receives a complement from Jesus in 16, 17 “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood* has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father” Peter is clearly talking about the Father and the wishes of the Father to help Jesus be known as the Messiah. But pay attention to the second part. It seems that Jesus want The Good News of The Gospel, the announcement of The Kingdom not to be as any other news on the streets. He wants it to be preached properly, in a process that involves the Holy Spirit also. A process that transform a message from the mouth of the apostle (first we need to be apostles, followers of Jesus) and then to see the message in the ears and hearts of people be transformed in revelation of the Father through the Holy Spirit.
Lord, please help me to go deep into the truth about who you are and not to be satisfied with simply having some vague idea. I want to know you intimately through prayer, Confession, Spiritual Direction, the same way St. Peter and so many saints have known you. Grant me this grace not just for my sake, but also for all those souls with whom I will come into contact.
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