MY daily reflection and prayer:
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to Mark 8:27-35
And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.” And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
THE Gospel today proclaims Jesus Christ who wants us to recognize him personally. Jesus ask, “Who do you say that I am?”
Based on Jesus’ question, we can ask oursleves, “Who is Jesus for us and what difference does he make in our lives?” We may give an answer like Peter, “You are the Christ.” But what does it mean for us?
Peter recognized that Jesus is the Christ through his eyes of faith. But Jesus knew that Peter did not yet fully understand his mission and how he would accomplish it. So he began to explain what his mission. Jesus then told that he must suffer and die to atone for our sins.
When Jesus explained that he must suffer and die in order that God’s work of redemption may be accomplished; Peter did not understand. How startled he was when he heard these words! So Peter took Jesus, and began to rebuke him. But Jesus rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.”
What can we take a lesson from this episode? First, through the eyes of faith we must trust our lives in Jesus Christ. It will personally cost us to follow him as our Lord and Messiah! The cost of following Jesus Christ is through humiliation and suffering. He broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of sin and the oppression of our enemy, Satan.
If we want to share in his victory, then we must take up our cross and follow where he leads us. To recognize Jesus Christ is to know the power of his victory on the cross where he defeated sin and conquered death through his dying and rising again on the third day.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist we ask Jesus Christ to grant us the Holy Spirit who will give each of us the gifts and strength we need to live as the children of God, our heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit gives us faith to personally know and experience the love of our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Give us the Holy Spirit that we can follow you daily faithfully. Change and transform our lives through the gift and working of your Holy Spirit. May we witness to others the joy, truth, and freedom of the Gospel now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
