In Sunday's lesson, Jesus issues his first 'passion prediction' which is the technical name for these passages where Jesus speaks of his upcoming rejection, suffering and crucifixion. There are 3 such predictions in Mark's gospel.
Each time Jesus talks about his eventual death by cross, the disciples respond poorly. In this first passion prediction there is an enormous swing from Peter's acclamation "You are the Messiah" to Jesus' rebuke of Peter "Get behind me Satan' in the very next paragraph.
It started with the question, "Who do people say that I am?" Peter's claims Jesus as his Messiah. The problem is, Peter has no idea what it will take to be the Messiah. God's plan for the Messiah includes the cross; there is no other way.
So Peter rebukes Jesus for this terrible predicted death. Jesus rebukes Peter in turn. Without the cross Jesus cannot be the Messiah. The two go together. If Peter is to accept Jesus as Messiah, he must also accept the cross.
To be the Messiah is to enter into the suffering that all humankind experiences. To be the Messiah is to walk forward into the deep abyss that we all fear: rejection, suffering and death. To be the Messiah is to know that it is coming and to continue on the road to Jerusalem regardless.
The tricky part is that to be a disciple is to take up your cross and follow where Jesus leads. We are called to let go of this life so to grasp the life that Jesus offers.
The cross might gross us out. Letting go of this life scares us to death - which is exactly Jesus' point: holding onto this life leads only to death. Never an easy message nor an easy task.
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