Homily: February 16, 2023, Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

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 “Get behind me satan.”

Jesus’ words to St. Peter, the first pope, are so powerful.

Last week, a man came for reconciliation, and he gave me this beautiful chain with a cross which has the Holy face of Jesus on one side. The other side of the cross has these words: ‘Vade Retro Satana’ in Latin, which means ‘Get behind me, satan’. These are powerful words used in exorcism.

Satan is evil and cunning, he tempted Adam and Eve by cleverly rationalising for them how it seemed logical to disobey God. In the same way, Peter was suggesting to Jesus to avoid the way of suffering and death, which seemed logical but was ultimately against God’s plan.

If we look around us, we see the same thing happening in our world. Satan continues to tempt us with the good life, using technology to increase pleasure, enhance comfort and convenience, to make life easy and avoid anything that could involve hardship, even for the good and betterment of the world. He tempts women to destroy life of the unborn with lies of independence and freedom. All these lead to disobedience to God, turning against God’s plan. His lies lead many of God’s children to slavery.

Like Jesus, we have to repeat these words quite often, ‘get behind me, satan’, back off, step aside, go away, do not tempt me!

In today’s first reading, we see God establishing a new covenant with Noah who represents the whole of humanity. God did not make a new creation but He gave a new beginning to the same creation. A covenant is a solemn vow, that will never be broken. Even if one party fails his part, the other party remains faithful. 

As we come to the end of the daily readings from Genesis, we see clearly the covenantal relationship of God with His people. Man breached, and continues to fail, but God has been faithful and remains so.

Satan may seem to have destroyed the beautiful plan God had for His creation by tempting the first woman and first man. The ripple effect of that sin continues to our generation until the end of time. But God’s plan is a plan of love, which can never be destroyed. This selfless, self-emptying love has triumphed over sin through Jesus’ suffering and death, and will continue to triumph and rule forever.

So whenever we face the temptation to turn against God’s plan, to go the easy way, be firm and say, “get behind me, satan.”

Amen.


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