Setting the course - In the train of humanism

As the spokesman for the disciples, Peter had just made the strong confession to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," and Jesus had responded with great promises.

Elated by this experience, Peter was shocked by the first announcement of Jesus' suffering. This could not be true! His own existence together with the great vision of the church was called into question. Peter reacted spontaneously: And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Jesus turned and said to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

Two fronts collide: "the Savior of the World" and "the prince of this World". The Savior of the world was about to disempower the prince of this world through His powerlessness on the Cross. Peter's reaction was understandable, justified, compassionate and "Christian" in the best sense. But Peter had "departed" unnoticed onto a dangerous track. The humanism track is seductively right, because it has the human being in view - but the human being without God. Finally, the good man without God makes himself God.

The prince of this World knows that his time is running out and his reign is limited. He knows that the Savior of the world has the right to speak the last
decisive word over death and life. This last word is feared by many, but welcomed with jubilation by others - it stands for a new beginning: Behold, I am coming soon, and I am making all things new.

© Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary e.V., Darmstadt
www.kanaan.org . SJK 5