Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sr. Juana Jaqueline Castillo-Salvador Matthew 16: 21-27 After Peter’s confession: “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God” Jesus makes the first announcement of his passion. Peter’s ears were not ready to hear such an announcement, much less his heart and from “that fearful and protective heart” he calls him aside. We might think that Peter’s concern is genuine, like that of a sincere friend, but Jesus shows us otherwise. Jesus recognizes in Peter’s words a great temptation, the temptation to stray from the right path, the temptation to hide in order to protect oneself. He knows that this is not the way of God, the way of salvation, therefore he does not conscious the tempter and with firmness and authority he returns Peter to his place, to the place of a follower and with that he reminds him that we must follow in his footsteps, his footprints of crucified. The time is right and Jesus clearly explains what the path of discipleship is. It hides nothing, it does not hide the suffering and joy that will be part of the follow-up. He opens our eyes and shows us his life proposal. […]