Commentary on the Gospel of
The readings today present such a striking contrast. The first reading is so filled with God’s abiding love for human beings. Every word, every promise conveys that love. the rainbow – a sign of color and light after the rains – is the guarantee of these promises. Contrast that with Jesus’ harsh language to Peter in the Gospel. Jesus actually calls Peter “Satan.”
But the contrast lies only on the surface. Digging more deeply, we see that these readings say the same thing. God will always reach out to save the people he has called to himself. He did it for Noah and his family and God will do it for us. But this salvation comes at a cost. Jesus had to accept rejection, suffering, and death in order to destroy death forever. Any attempt to hide from that reality, to make God what we want him to be, comes from the father of lies. It is sure to fail.
