Here and Now
BY MADDIE LAFORGE | August 24, 2020
Sunday’s Readings
In the gospel, we encounter our friend, Peter. We get to really see Peter, with and through Jesus’ eyes. More often, I see Peter through my own eyes. I love walking through the gospel stories with Peter because I feel like I can relate to him. He is constantly putting his foot in his mouth: messing up, doubting, denying, falling, failing… and trying again. Peter lets me know that I too, with all my imperfections and insecurities, am a disciple. I too can follow Jesus… even when it feels like I’m walking on shaky ground.
These moments: The earthshaking, groundbreaking
When the world feels turned upside-down,
I don’t know how to put it right.
These moments: The wobbly, off-kilter.
When there are too many moving parts,
I don’t know how to slow it down.
In these moments, I cry out to God.
Then God takes hold of my right hand.
I know there is a great divine spirit with and in me.
Yesterday’s gospel reveals one of these moments. The early church was all moving parts, constantly being shaken up. Feel the uneasiness and confusion. Sense the tension and upheaval surrounding the disciples. In this moment, Peter finally answers the question right. But this scene is more than a teacher quizzing his student.
In this moment, Peter really sees Jesus.
When society doubted and rejected,
Peter listened to the spirit within.
In this moment, Jesus really knows Peter.
When Peter was shaken and remained steadfast,
Jesus called him blessed.
This moment: The love, kindness.
There two friends met.
They knew God’s presence.
Upon that rock, we build the Church. Fixed like a peg in a sure spot, the Kingdom of Heaven resides here and now. God is bound up with and within us. And so, we courageously let ourselves be shaken and let ourselves be steadfast. Our lives are bound up with God. And so, we let the Holy Spirit alive in us move and have her being.
Here and now, love and kindness endure forever.
Maddie LaForge, M.Div., is a New Orleans native currently residing in Denver, CO. She teaches theology at Regis Jesuit High School. Her love for the classroom goes back to her time as a Jesuit Volunteer at Colegio Miguel Pro in Tacna, Peru. Maddie is a graduate of Santa Clara University’s Jesuit School of Theology and Spring Hill College.
Challenge and counter-challenge renew the face of heaven and earth. Mobility is a gift and a blessing. It’s a privilege to inhabit earth and heaven.
Wow! Loved this reflection! I to can easily relate to Peter – this Gospel was so affirming that its okay to be a screw up – God trusts us, maybe even needs us and certainly embraces and loves us!
Thank you!
Amen!
You have my Email I want to know why my post was removed because it was not offensive and contained common sense, maybe too much truth and logic about the sites tokenism something Malcom X was always right about when talking about certain agendas. My kids attend your schools and I will be actively seeking to remove them maybe schooling them abroad has I don’t want them to be exposed to the material you are permitting and promoting. It’s took me 2 weeks or more to see this sites true intentions and I was not looking for faults, and yes I will be voting Trump, protest damage around $2m to my businesses, around 100+ jobs gone, charity and health venues destroyed for Black and Hispanic, around $400m in minority community and programs and around $350m in education and this is the thanks I get. All just because people get high and resist arrest we have to deal with a broken country and sheep that seek to cause harm and spread white racism. God Bless time to have a conference call and remove money, fire people and put it in the white community and I will be attending a different place of worship to show my religion not your venues haven’t got time for people that promote false ideology.