by Fr. Thomas Keating
Chapter
19
Peter: The
Formation of a Disciple
Part II
Jesus was after Peter. This is the
chief element in everybody's vocation. There are not many people who listen to
Jesus the first time when he says, "Come and follow me," drop
everything and follow him. In the synoptic gospels it sounds that way,
but remember that the Synoptics are a kerygma, that is, a sort of
catechism, a summary of Jesus' teachings. which the apostles preached to live
congregations. They did not try to include all the details. If you study the
gospels carefully, you see that the disciples had a lot of contact with Jesus
and witnessed many miracles before they finally came around and made a final
commitment. They really had known him quite a while before he even asked them to
make such a commitment. This is the normal way human things work. The
evangelists are just summarizing when they simply say: "Jesus saw the sons
of Zebedee in a boat, called them, and they immediately dropped their nets and
followed him."
They followed him that day no doubt.
But as regards to any kind of permanent commitment, that took some persuading and a
lot of time.
Jesus was on Peter's trail. He wanted to
make something out of him. One day Jesus was passing along the Lake of Galilee
where Peter had his business, and called him out of the boat. Peter followed him
that day and from then on began visiting Jesus more often and staying longer. He
started following him around the countryside. He saw him change water into wine
at the marriage feast of Cana. To put it briefly, they were getting acquainted.
One day Jesus came to Capernaum, Simon
Peter's town, and went into his house. This was a significant choice. You
know what it means if a celebrity--and Jesus was beginning to get a name for
himself--comes to your town and stays at your house. It means
something to the owner.
Now there was a problem with the
serving. Peter's mother-in-law was ill and in bed. Jesus took her by the hand
and cured her so that she could serve the guests. Peter must have appreciated
this prompt way of solving his difficulty. Then, towards the end of the day,
everybody from the town and the surrounding countryside brought the sick and
laid them at Peter's doorstep. Jesus cured them all. Well, for a citizen of a
small town, this was all very flattering. It was beginning to build Peter up. He
was getting very interested.
Then Jesus silently stole away for a
night of prayer in the desert. He was probably tired out after all that
activity. Who is the one to go in search of him? Peter, of course. Peter's
leadership qualities begin to emerge. I suspect that in our day Peter would have
been president of the local Rotary Club.
Apparently a meeting of important
people in the town had been held and it was decided to send a delegation of
distinguished citizens to get Jesus back. He had worked so many miracles. He had
cured so many sick people. The town had suddenly acquired something really
outstanding. "We must not let this man get away!"
Since Jesus had worked all these
miracles at Peter's house, eaten his supper there and cured the sick at his
doorstep, the leading citizens decided that Peter was just the man to go and
find him and bring him back. Or perhaps it was Peter himself who said, "I'm
the man for the job." In any case, Peter led the delegation "in
pursuit of Jesus."
Peter marched out into the desert with
his entourage to get his man and bring him back. He found Jesus in prayer. As
Jesus turned to greet Peter, his eyes must have had a quizzical expression in
them. Peter, losing a bit of his steam, exclaimed, "Everybody is
looking for you!" Jesus' reply was striking, "Let us go some place
else."
"Let us," that is, you
and me, "go some place else." In other words, "I am not
interested in the fact that everybody is seeking me. I am interested in whether you
are seeking me." It is like that incident a little later when Jesus will
call his disciples aside and ask them, "Who do people say that I am?"
And after they offer various answers, he asks more pointedly, "But who do you
say that I am?"
Jesus was saying to Peter, "I know
you are enthused about me. I know you want me back there. But you have a whole
lot of motives for this that do not interest me at all. I am interested in you,
Peter, as a person, not what all these other people want me to do."
To be continued
More information can be obtained by reading the book Crisis of Faith/Crisis of Love by Fr. Thomas Keating. It is offered in our
