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The phenomenon of what is being called the Arab Spring has captured the imagination of freedom loving people everywhere. There is danger, however, in oversimplifying the events of the last year and a half. For all the speed of information in this technological age, we still get misinformation; it will take years to adequately interpret these remarkable events. But one thing is certain: there are people of vision willing to put their lives on the line for a better life for themselves and for their fellow citizens. As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9/11, the most compelling memory of that tragedy for me is not the violence inflicted upon innocent people and the damage done to our national psyche, but rather the raw courage of those men and women who responded to the needs of their fellow citizens. These heroes made radical, instinctive choices based on a deeply rooted sense of service. They had to know that their lives were in jeopardy, but they acted selflessly. Whether it’s our brothers and sisters in the Middle East fiercely struggling for a new way of living or the courageous actions of our safety forces here and our men and women in harm’s way abroad, we call it courage, a word that has its root in the Latin word “cor” or heart, something that flows from the deepest recesses of one’s being. Over a half century ago, the then junior senator for Massachusetts, John Kennedy penned his famous Profiles in Courage about heroes from America’s history whose deeply held convictions offered models for his day. There comes a time in our lives – perhaps more than just once – when we must take the risk and put our lives on the line for a value or a vision. Jesus is fully aware of what he is about to do, but his vision of a new creation is stronger than the very human reaction of self-interest or fear. Our friend Peter, like us, doesn’t seem to get it, again!Our model is the Christ. Our profession of faith cannot be like Peter’s initial response: only words, but with no stomach for backing them up with action. If we believe that Jesus is the living embodiment of the will of God for our world, then we must live it. Jesus’ message and mission require courage on our part.His consistent message is a message of love. He tells us to love those who hate us, to love our enemies. He tells us to forgive seven times seventy times, which in his day meant always. He tells us to care for the marginalized, the neglected, the widow, the orphan, the leper. Today he reveals that his message and his mission come from the heart, from the deepest recesses of his being. He will freely go up to Jerusalem. He will pay whatever the price for his vision of a new creation.But Peter will hear none of it. We should note well Jesus’ reaction! Today we stand in Peter’s shoes. Jesus not only offers a vision; he is willing, in contemporary parlance, to “put his money where his mouth is.” He does this immediately after Peter’s profession of faith, a profession we make each week. But is that profession just words? I think Jesus is telling us something very important for our day. It’s not about the words we speak! He’d tell us, “talk is cheap.” He wants action. What are we willing to do about our core beliefs as his disciples? Are they so deeply rooted within our very being that we act upon them instinctively? What about judging others? What about responding to those who are less fortunate, those who are suffering? What about welcoming the stranger? It can start with our own family relationships. We can accept one another for who we are and not what we expect each other to be? We can forgive those closest to us who often cause the deepest hurts?How is Jesus’ vision lived out in our parish communities? Do we go out of our way to make others feel welcome? Could we each weekend introduce ourselves to one person we don’t know by name? Do we rush in and rush out of the Sunday liturgy? Are we courageous enough to invite someone who does not attend regularly to join us on a Sunday? Do we freely offer as much time to our parish community as we do to secular pursuits?What does Jesus’ vision have to say to us about how we personally deal with everyday social and political concerns that not only touch our lives but the lives of others, such as the economy, the environment, immigration, or life issues? How do we advance reasoned discussion on these? Does Jesus’ vision come through those decisions? If we profess a faith in the values and vision of Jesus for which he courageously offered himself, can we embrace, beyond words, those values and that vision with the same courage? Can those values and vision become deeply rooted within our hearts so they can become instinctive in all we do and say? That’s the lesson Jesus presents to Peter and to us again today. Paul has the same idea: