Word to the Wise
Saturday, September 27, 2025 - Saturday in the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
[Zech 2:5-9, 14-15a and Luke 9:43b-45]"While they were amazed at his every deed, Jesus said to his disciples, "Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men." But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying." [Luke]
SEPTEMBER 27 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
The gospels record that Jesus made several predictions about his future suffering, death and resurrection. But it is clear that the disciples found these to be baffling and, in Peter's case at least, unacceptable. Jesus rebuked Peter for thinking as humans do and not as God does! [Matt. 16:23].
"Denial" can be a powerful psychological strategy for blocking unacceptable thoughts from challenging us. What Jesus predicted simply did not fit the amazement that the disciples and crowds were experiencing in his healings and exorcisms and preaching. It is not just something that people with addictions do - i.e. deny there is a problem when their friends and family can see plainly that there is one. This process can be found in our own daily life when we "deny" that Jesus is talking to US in his challenges to love our neighbor as ourself.
Does our "idea" of Jesus include everything said about him in the New Testament? Or do we select certain things and "deny" what doesn't fit? It's a challenge, but we would be in good company with the disciples when they heard Jesus predict his future! AMEN