THURSDAY, SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Gn 9: 1-13 Ps 102: 16-23, 29 Mk 8: 27-33
TRUSTING IN GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
After the floodwaters have receded and Noah and his family step onto dry land, God establishes a covenant with them. He tells Noah, “Be fruitful and multiply.” This command echoes God’s original creation plan for humanity. But it is paired with a promise: that He will never again destroy the earth with a flood, and as a sign, He places the rainbow in the sky. This act of divine grace shows us that God’s promises are enduring and trustworthy. The rainbow calls us to recognize the faithfulness of God even in the most difficult times.
In the Gospel, Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question is correct – “You are the Messiah.” But he didn’t know what it meant, for he could not accept the necessity of the Lord’s passion. Jesus reprimands him for his narrow vision – “The way you think is not God’s way but man’s.” This passage challenges us to reflect on how we approach our faith. Like Peter, we can sometimes recognize Jesus as the Saviour but fail to fully understand the depth of what it means to follow Him. Jesus’ path to glory is through the cross, and the same is true for us. Our Christian life is not exempt from suffering or hardship, but it is through these moments of difficulty that we truly encounter the depth of God’s love and presence. We are called to carry our cross daily and follow Him.
The readings thus remind us of the call to walk in trust with God, just as Noah did after the flood and just as the disciples were challenged to do after Peter’s initial confession of faith. The rainbow reminds us that God’s promises are not just abstract ideas; they are real and present in our lives. The cross reminds us that suffering is part of the Christian journey, but that God’s love is deeper and stronger than any hardship we may face. Let us reflect today therefore, on the ‘rainbows’ in our own lives; that is, those signs of God’s faithfulness, as well as on the crosses we find on our journey of discipleship.
Response: The Lord looked down from heaven to the earth.
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