When Jesus looked at Peter and said, get behind me satan (Matt.16:23) I can imagine what went through Peter's mind. Remember, this was toward the end of Jesus ministry and they were on their way to Jerusalem.  Peter seems to be the Apostle Jesus allowed into His inner circle. Peter, James, and John were there with Him but Peter was His number one go-to guy. Peter was definitely the leader of this rag-tag group and Peter knew it. There was some jealousy within the other Disciples if they were actually arguing about who was the greatest among them toward the end of Christ ministry. Everyone knew Peter, James, and John were His first three so the argument was probably about who was fourth, fifth, and six, etc. A few years earlier Peter would have never dreamed he'd be in the position he was in right now. The greatest man to ever walk the face of the earth chose him to walk with Him.  Impossible! But God is an impossible God who purposely mixes and shakes things up and it shook up the statist quo to say the least. It's not written down but I am sure the "Successful" religious Pharisees would laugh at who Jesus had chosen for His dream team. His top guy used to........ catch fish? The Pharisees couldn't get their head around who this guy (Jesus) was and what His message to the world was? (still is).  Peter knew nothing about ministry doing and what he did know was probably wrong. These nobodies are going to sabotage this Man's Ministry for us (Pharisees). Let's let them self-destruct and things will settle down again and the people will come back to us. That's not what Peter was thinking or wanted or would even imagine could happen. So when Jesus started talking about being tortured and put to death Peter objected. And what happened next must have shocked everyone within ear-shot when He turned to Peter His right-hand man and said...... get behind Me Satan. He didn't smile and put his hand on Peter's shoulder and say, Pete, let's do lunch today and I'll go over some of the things we'll be doing together in the next few day's. Jesus was always upfront about the things of God first and foremost. He addressed Peter as the devil. It must have felt like cold water in his face when Jesus said this. I can imagine how fast word got out about what had just happened. Jesus called Peter the Devil. To make matters worse Peter would also deny Him three times not long after that. Judas didn't know his betrail would lead to the Lord's death. He probably thought the Jewish leaders would ruff Him up, tell Him to shut up and throw Him out the door. Peter knew it looked bad for Jesus. He knew unless something was done soon, they were probably going to kill Him. And instead of stepping up or speaking up or giving his life up to protect Christ like he had pledged to do, Peter denied Him 3 times and swore he didn't know the man they arrested called Jesus. Think about what a failure Peter must have felt during those dark days that followed. People go through the worst, deepest, darkest times of their life when any and all hope is gone and you know life will never be the same again. All of us have been there to one degree or another. Despair, death, defeat, etc. But here's the good news. This too will pass. We never know how strong we are until the cards fate deal us that knockout punch. That straw that finally broke the camels back. Death, sickness, disease, loss, whatever it is. If you ever get to a place when you feel like the only thing left you can do is knock on that door, then keep knocking on that Judge's door. (See the parable of widow and Judge) Sometimes it's exactly where God wants us. Peter and a great multitude of Saints that surround you that have been there before you will tell you this---> Your God is the God of the Resurrection and the Life. Of Heaven and earth. The God who calls things that are not as though they are. The God who can make son's of Abraham out of stones. The God who says peace be still and the storm stops. The God who says all things are possible. (Matt.19:26) Trust God. God's got the map through everything.

Fresh Truth: Did Jesus have enemies? We know He did. Jesus had ...

Fresh Truth: Did Jesus have enemies? We know He did. Jesus had ...: Did Jesus have enemies? We know He did. Jesus had more enemies than disciples. Why would He have more enemies if He came to Save the world a...

The Kingdom of God? or Violence and War? The Jews in Jesus day knew the Kingdom of God was soon coming. They knew Elijah would usher it in. (Malachi 4:5) When the Jews asked John if he were Elijah John said No (John 1:21). Later when Jesus heard that John had been killed in prison He was obviously moved with emotion and grief because He begins to ask the people who they thought John was in a kind of angry and judgmental way. He knew they knew who John was.  Jesus knew the crowd knew that John was someone the world would never see the likes of again. John thought the coming Kingdom was going to be conquered as it always had, through violence, killing, and death. The presence (kingdom) of God abode in the ark of the Covenant the Jews carried with them that men (Physically) fought for. The Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force. Jesus said the New Kingdom, the The New Testament and Covenant of God will be within you. Put down your weapons of death and destructing. My Blood will conquer this death and destruction. My Blood will put this to an END once for all. The Christians battles and wars are no longer fought with physical swords but spiritual ones. The kingdom of hell on earth has been destroyed by God's Kingdom of Heaven on earth. People today love violence and war and destruction. We're the Sodom and Gomorrha of violence. So much so that even those men God has entrusted to them are beginning to say we're going back to the old wine (Violence) the New Wine doesn't taste as good anymore. Go ahead, light the match. Instead of throwing living water on it throw some more gasoline. Why was John the Baptist greater than all the other prophets before him? John's message wasn't Revenge it was Repentance. I'm just blown away at some of the doctrines and gospels Leaders, the men and women God has been asking, (More than 3 times) do you Love me?... Teach them and feed them My Gospel. John has already prepared the way for God's Kingdom on earth and Jesus snuck it in. It's like the wind, You can't see it but you can feel it within you. It's like John the Baptist. Physically he was not Elijah but in the spirit and power of Elijah, he was. That's why John could say he wasn't Elijah (Fleshly) and Jesus could say he was (in the spirit and power) Elijah. Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. That transpired on the day of Pentecost. It's free. We don't have to fight for it. The full Kingdom of God isn't going to be ushered in by violence. It's going to be ushered in through Repentance. Unless someone attacks me first or is trying to kill me I let God take care of my enemies and He does. Leaders should be preaching repentance. We say forget it, I've had enough God's not helping us I'm going get justice myself. It's obvious to me and the things God has shone me over the last 5 or 6 years that people have made up their mind. A mindset of revenge and violence the Holy Spirit will have no part of. Our culture has been poisoned with old wine and the younger generations coming up are drunk on it. People are trying to do the same thing today they were doing in Jesus day. The Kingdom of God will come but not with the help of the weapons of war used in this world. Repent or Revenge? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord with the commands (And the weapons) He has already given us. All those who live by the sword will die by the sword.

At Gethsemane, Jesus was under so much presser He sweated blood. His mission would soon come to a close. The very reason for His existence on earth,  to teach the Gospel and spread the Kingdom of God on earth to all who would listen, understand, and accept the Salvation He would offer through the cross was upon Him and He must have been thinking He came up short. What angered Jesus the most was unbelief and a hardened heart. (aside from being set up and attacked by Pharisees). When He warned His disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees they had no idea what He was talking about. He had to remind them about the fishes and the loaves before they understood what He was saying (Matt.16:5-11). It wasn't because their hearts were hardened it was because they just didn't understand the inlining message. Fast forward to the last supper. Soon they'll be left without Him. I wonder what Jesus must have felt like when they're 'Celebrating' the last meal with them and another argument breaks out about who'll be the greatest (Luke 22:24). They had learned nothing from the earlier argument they had about who's would be the greatest back in Luke 9:46. That kind of pettiness and pride go against what He had taught them for the last three years. These guys weren't even on milk,  they were still on the water. You know the devil was in Jesus ear. Lucifer always hits us hardest when we're at our weakest. Later in Gethsemane, He takes Peter, James, and John and tells them to wait for Him while goes off to pray and they keep falling asleep.

When leaders or 'activist' that have a national platform don't or won't deliver when the opportunity presents itself by way of the President of the United States to step up and help THEIR community and race...because they've been offended by something they've heard the President say or do 20 years ago, then you need new leaders. What if Martin Luther King carried this attitude with President Johnson? (Who was from Texas and was known to be a racist) What if MLK said I refuse to work with a racist President to help my community? The black community (And white) knew what President Johnson views and attitudes were about blacks. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was actually proposed by JFK but the Governing Southern states resisted it. MLK's movement, that included and welcomed ALL races to Peacefully unite with him and his dream eventually put so much pressure on Congress and the Senate that Johnson had to do something and he did. President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1965 because of the "Silent noise" MLK created. He created it by putting his personal beliefs and opinions about other people aside for the sake and welfare of his people. Martin Luther King is a perfect example of what real leadership looks like. He had crosses burned on his front lawn. He had his house shot up. He had death threats. MLK could have taken the easy way out but he didn't. Do you think MLK wasn't "Offended" by some of the people he came up against? Today you have professional race baiters on both sides that have sung the same song for 30 years and things have gotten worse, not better. Hollywood, the MSM and especially today's music business portray the black race as out of control gangst'a-thugs into drugs disrespecting the woman they love. The black community has prospered economically but the message and the image TV and Rap music and Hollywood feed us, the average white middle-class American is negative. You don't see the average black family who loves God and respects the rights of other people in the entertainment world. The black community is portrayed as victims and that spirit of revenge has seeped into too many institutions including the "Church" black and white. Martin Luther King looked ahead and move forward toward a better future for this country. He didn't turn around and sit down with a chip on his shoulder about what happened 200 years ago. Anyone can do that and get patted on the back. He didn't refuse to work with people he disagreed with or didn't like. That's not leadership. This country needs to invite God into it or nothings going to change. MLK had the Bible in one hand and Gandi in the other and he prayed for God's guidance and PEACE and God delivered. The President offered a number of black leaders to the White to help him work on prison reform. Something our society has ignored for too many years and only one (To my knowledge) accepted the offer. The media has brainwashed Americans into believing President Trump hates blacks and women. The truth is President Trump has more women working in his cabinet and administration than any other U.S. President. He's the first President with the guts to stand up and take a stab (No pun intended)  at prison reform for not only blacks coming out but blacks' whites, Hispanics, and everyone. But when you look at how many black people that have been locked up in prison over the last 20 years and the recitative rate of returnees you realize rehabilitation is just a word. Nothing changes until something changes and when opportunities arise for change you'll know who your real leaders are. You'll see who walks the talk versus who just talks the talk. You'll find out who really cares and has concerns for prisoners coming out and who doesn't. Martin Luther King worked with President Johnson and he would be working with President Trump today for prison reform. I have no doubt about it. MLK wasn't perfect and it angers me when I read about supposed FBI files that paint him out to be some sex addict. Whether true or not it doesn't erase what he accomplished moving ahead with a better future for America. And for things to change as they did you know God was in that movement. The proof is in the pudding. If we want to change we do what works. We know what works but to get it working more people in black Church leadership roles have to step up and be an example of what true Godly leadership looks like. Leaders who can put their feelings aside knowing they're going to pay a price. Knowing the main resistance might be coming from their own community. The goal has to mean more to them than what other people are going to say about them. The black community has these leaders. Every generation has these leaders who can lead. And anyone who says I refuse to work with him or her because I don't like them IS NOT A LEADER. We have to pray for NEW leaders who will take advantage of opportunities to help people. Changes CAN happen. But not for those who remain unwilling to even try. How can you trust or even respect that kind of leadership? Find leaders who value the Golden Rule and not the rule of the community. 

I am convinced that most of the saints were religious dropouts from societies that were going nowhere. Faith called them to drop out and believe in something else. Jesus announcement of the Kingdom of God was telling us that culture as we've created it is on a track towards self-destruction and emptiness. He told us we can "Get off the train" at the next stop and re-center our lives in truth and objectivity. All we have to give up is the utterly false understanding that we have of ourselves from civil society. For some reason that liberation seems to be the most difficult thing in the world.
    Finding God and losing the self-are the same thing; we don't really come to it naturally or choose it of ourselves. Faith is always God's thing. It seems to be the only way the Lord can draw us into a new viewpoint, a new point from which to view the life that is larger than life. That life is love!
   
   Fr. Richard Rohr.  >Radical Grace<  Daily meditations!

CATHOLIC RADICALS!
What is the necessary meaning of Catholic Radicals, to which we allude in our title and which we now find essential in this secular and post Christian age?  First, the word itself is a clue. Radix is the Latin word for "Root."  A radical is one who moves beyond the liberal and conservative branches of an institution and goes back to the fundamental questioning. The dictionary says a radical is one who goes back to the root, the source, the fundamentals. This is very different from a modernist or liberal who wants to update or accommodate to the present situation. There's a place for such reform, but that is not the primary concern of a true radical. Neither is a radical the same as a traditionalist or conservative, who usually does not go back far enough. A radical Catholic will at times look like both of these types, yet is neither of them at all.
   The questions and concerns of radicals would under-cut all self-interest. ideology, and institutions. In this case, they ask: What does our humanity demand of us? What does love ask of us? What did Jesus present as essential and all-embracing? What is God doing on earth today? John Paul the ll asks such questions in his writings >Social concerns< and finds himself speaking for truly radical Catholics. Striking at the root of the tree, he does not ask us to "CHANGE". That is why the Priest and the Presidents and other men of power have thus far been unable to admit that this encyclical even exists.

Fr. Richard Rohr!   >Radical Grace: Daily Meditations<