Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

“You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Mark 8:33)

How has your thinking been these days? It is very easy to get lost in our own thoughts. Many people can ruminate over a particular thought, usually something negative or stressful, for hours or even days, weeks and months. Sometimes it may be a thought about an injustice, either done to us, or an injustice in the world or in politics. Sometimes it is something that angered us, something that we believe needs to change in ourselves or others. Other times, our thoughts can be fixated on health issues, work, finances, or addictive or compulsive behavior. Fear, insecurity, depression and anxiety can overwhelm our entire thought process, unless those thoughts are put in check. I will return to this “thought” in a moment.

In the Gospel of Mark, which is proclaimed at Mass throughout the Catholic Church today, Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him for saying that His destiny is “that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days” (Mk 8:31). Jesus responds by telling Peter “Get behind me, satan,” which seems a bit harsh, however our understanding of the word "satan," as the devil or Lucifer is not exactly what Jesus was communicating. The word “satan” as applied to Peter here is not the same as saying: “Peter, you are Satan, the Devil, the Prince of Darkness.” The Greek word “σατανάς,” trans-literated as “satan,” literally means “adversary.” Jesus is in effect saying “Peter, get behind me, (you are not speaking or thinking as my friend, but rather as) my adversary.” What triggered this strong reaction from Jesus? Was it really simply Peter saying: "Jesus, I do not want you to be rejected and die, nor should you have to go through that?" Peter's words do not seem unreasonable from a human perspective, certainly not deserving of being called Satan, "an adversary."

Then Jesus proclaims to Peter this admonition, worthy of our reflection today: “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Mk 8:33). Jesus calls Peter his adversary because Peter is thinking not as God thinks, but as human beings think. Peter hears the prophecy of Jesus that He will be rejected and ultimately killed by the leaders of the time and Peter cannot bear the thought. His thinking about the passion & death of Jesus is not God’s thinking. Peter must be thinking: "What value could any person suffering and dying really have?" (A reasonable thought for a human, but God's thoughts are deeper, more mysterious, filled with possibilities that humans cannot even comprehend, ultimately God's thoughts are grounded in infinite Love).

Let us return to how we as humans think. Do we not often think as limited, imperfect human beings, often catastrophizing, and fearful? We must try to keep in mind that human thoughts are simply passing, fleeting, and can change quickly. It is also valuable to remember that our thoughts exist only in one place, in our minds. While all human thoughts can be grounded in real challenges or real world problems, and constructive thinking can lead to real solutions and change, most thoughts do not serve us well, but can lead to fear, anxiety, or at times harmful introspection or even obsession. Thinking only as a limited human being without being grounded in Truth, in God’s thoughts, will lead away from peace and deeper into chaos.

Why ought we read the Scriptures, the Word of God? We all need to hear how God thinks. The Word of God is inspired by the Holy Spirit and thus contains God's thoughts, His perspective, the Truth.

Why is counseling or spiritual direction a good idea for many? Many of us need to check our thoughts with another objective human being who can help us understand how God thinks. We can certainly check our thoughts with a spouse or friend, it is often very helpful, but will they be objective? Do they think as God thinks?

Practicing mindfulness, meditation, reflective prayer and silence throughout our daily lives will calm our thoughts, center us on God, and help us put our lives in better perspective. Let us move closer to thinking as God thinks about our life, and a little further away from the purely human way of thinking that can steal away our peace.