>>It’s a great parallel in the scene with Peter and the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve and the serpent, and the temptation to eat from the apple. They Adam and Eve, of course listen, they are Satan. They listen to the enemy in that scene, and they’re separated from God. They caused the downfall of the human race.  

Now Christ has come to restore the human race, to repair what Adam and Eve have done. And it’s like the serpent now is trying again to prevent this from happening. So, it’s working through Saint Peter who unknowingly is the mouthpiece for the enemy. No such thing shall ever happen to you. And so Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan. It’s what Adam and Eve were unable to say in the garden. It’s the second time Jesus said this. Second time the enemy is calling after Jesus.  

The first time in Jesus ministry was, of course, right at the very beginning, the temptation in the desert. After Jesus been baptized. He goes into the desert for 40 days to pray fast and the enemy comes after him, gives him the three temptations. And the same phrase that Jesus says at the final third temptation, he says to Peter, “Get away from me, Satan.”  

You know, I’m not going to be prevented from loving God, the father – doing my mission and restoring the human race. So notice the what the enemy tries to do. He’s clever.  

In Genesis, we hear the serpent is the most cunning of all the animals. He doesn’t say, you know, necessarily like common, you know, worship the devil. You know, the sin isn’t that obvious. It’s more subtle, ah, and it’s tricked. It’s kind of tricking your knowledge. You think it’s good.  

Remember what Eve says when she sees the garden, the tree that’s forbidden, it’s delightful to the eyes. And she’s going to gain knowledge. The tree of knowledge of good and evil, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And so, what the enemy will propose to us to do is little things in the long run separate us from God.  

So, for example, you know, you’re angry with someone, you’re hurting, whatever it might be, you know, instead of taking your pain to God and in prayer and asking for the grace of forgiveness, for instance, you hold on to that anger, that grudge, that resentment. Maybe you make a little sharp comment here or there. You do something that’s the enemy’s proposal to you.And what you’re doing is, again, you’re being separate from God or again, you’re lonely, you’re yearning for something.  

You know, the responsorial song, talks about, you know, my soul is thirsting for God. A dry, weary land without water. We’re always hungry and we’re hungering for real love. Genuine intimacy, companionship. We get it from God. We get it from the people in our lives. But the enemy will say, “You know what? That’s really not going to fulfill you.” So, whatever. Go watch some movie or go eat a bowl of ice cream or, you know, go hang out with Father Scott or something. No, that’s not the enemies proposal. It’s good to hang out with Father Scott.  

But so anyways, the point is just to be aware, because just like with Saint Peter being the mouthpiece of the Lord of the enemy, the devil will try to trick us. His goal is not to get us to be his disciples. His goals are always to go after God and to separate us from God.  

So stay close to the Lord. Whenever you’re feeling are suffering, joy, desiring – take that to the Lord. He’ll fill your heart just like he did the Prophet Jeremiah. And we’ll be blessed. Amen.