Gospel-Homily for Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (2024)

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How to Cast Out Your Demon.

Take a rock, level it, and put a house on top of it. That rock will hold up the house for years to come.  That rock was Peter.  Upon this rock, I will build My church….  Now, take that rock from under the house and put it in the middle of the path so you can trip over it.  That was Peter just two minutes later.  You are a stubbing stone.  How is it possible to go from the solid rock of truth to a stubbing stone in a matter of two minutes? You can turn from saint to devil very quickly. There are many times when Jesus casts out the demon.     

On my ordination day, the bishop was going to pour a few drops of oil to anoint my hands during the ceremony.  Well, he didn’t pour a few drops, but he dumped half the bottle of oil.  “Oh brother,” I thought as I tried to cup my hands.  The oil poured through my fingers and down my arms. It was messy.  The oil was perfumed, so the fragrance filled my room for the rest of the night.  I was feeling pretty happy.  Ten years in the seminary to get to this day.  Ten years of studies, tedious conferences, and ten years fighting doubts: Should I get married?  Is this the right road?  “Ten years,” I said to myself, “and yet I am only two minutes away from being a devil.  No matter how much I pray.  No matter how much I study and try, I will always be two minutes from being a devil.”  It only takes two minutes to make a mistake, two minutes to get really angry, and two minutes to make a left instead of a right.  That is pretty scary. What do you do?  Our Lord has some great advice for all of us who still believe we are human and can make a mistake at a weak moment.  What our Lord said to Peter was: Get behind Me. 

Allow me to explain.  Peter had to get in front of Jesus to tell Him off. Peter had to stand in front of our Lord to tell Him that He was wrong and should not go to Jerusalem.  Peter stood in front of our Lord so that he could perhaps show Him a better road.   That was when Jesus gave Peter the great advice.  Get behind Me.  Once Peter got behind our Lord, he was officially in the position of disciple.  He was not leading he was following.