Fr. Luis PEREZ sx
24th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B
Every Sunday Jesus, through the Sacred Scriptures, communicates with us and manifests himself to us, he offers to us the gift of knowing Him and the Father. He, "the One that has been sent by the Father to proclaim the Good News", will teach to us so that we can follow him, identify ourselves with Him and live the new life that he offers us in communion with God and with our brothers and sisters.
In today's Gospel he also communicates to us something of what he is; but he also wants to know what we think about him, he wants to know how important he is for us, for you and for me and the community. The response and the reaction of Peter, when Jesus informs the apostles about his destiny, is amazing!
When we talk about things such as faith, encounter with Christ, Christian life…, we understand the new life which Jesus has brought to us, in the fraternity, in communion with God and with the brothers, in justice, in a better world…, all realities that we live in Christ and through Christ. It is difficult for us to understand that what Christ is, is a consequence of his Resurrection that was preceded by his passion and death, the sacrifice of his life.
Jesus asks the disciples about the opinion the people of Jesus.
The answers are different and according to what they know or assume: John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets…, Peter answers from the depth of his heart, since he has a full trust in Jesus: "Thou art the Christ".
Jesus asks the same question to us: How important is he for us in our daily lives? How much does his presence influence our life and our relation with the others?
How do we respond? Do we use the formulas learned by heart at the catechism and repeated without been influenced by them or do we have a response that comes from the depths of our hearts, from our feelings, from our love for Him and our gratitude for the salvation that He offers us?
When Jesus says that he has to suffer and be handed over to death, Peter refuses that information and Jesus reacts with harsh words: "Depart from me Satan" as the way you think is not God’s way. Peter has not understood the plan of God, he wants a Christ who is triumphant and powerful, and that is not the Christ of God the Father, who gives his life for the salvation of the world. We need to revisit our own beliefs about the idea we have of Jesus.
We are tempted to choose only the message of Jesus that we like, that fulfils our life and possibly that corresponds to our own ideas, but refusing what we do not like. We need to follow in the same footsteps of Jesus, who gave up his life for us. There is no resurrection to a new life without suffering and death. The experience of Easter is the foundation of our Christian life, it is indispensable for our faith and our relationship with Christ.
We would like to accept only what is good and comfortable. We experience a lot of resistance to change, to growing in faith and holiness; conversion is a very difficult path to follow; maintaining a strong Christian commitment, day after day, can be very exhausting. Often we do not experience the joy of salvation and of the new life in Christ because we live poorly.
Jesus tells us very clearly at the end of the Gospel: “If anyone wants to be follower of mine, let him renounce himself an take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it”.
May the Spirit give us light and grace to answer Jesus´ question with Peter´s heart and according to Jesus´ will.
24th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B
Every Sunday Jesus, through the Sacred Scriptures, communicates with us and manifests himself to us, he offers to us the gift of knowing Him and the Father. He, "the One that has been sent by the Father to proclaim the Good News", will teach to us so that we can follow him, identify ourselves with Him and live the new life that he offers us in communion with God and with our brothers and sisters.
In today's Gospel he also communicates to us something of what he is; but he also wants to know what we think about him, he wants to know how important he is for us, for you and for me and the community. The response and the reaction of Peter, when Jesus informs the apostles about his destiny, is amazing!
When we talk about things such as faith, encounter with Christ, Christian life…, we understand the new life which Jesus has brought to us, in the fraternity, in communion with God and with the brothers, in justice, in a better world…, all realities that we live in Christ and through Christ. It is difficult for us to understand that what Christ is, is a consequence of his Resurrection that was preceded by his passion and death, the sacrifice of his life.
Jesus asks the disciples about the opinion the people of Jesus.
The answers are different and according to what they know or assume: John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets…, Peter answers from the depth of his heart, since he has a full trust in Jesus: "Thou art the Christ".
Jesus asks the same question to us: How important is he for us in our daily lives? How much does his presence influence our life and our relation with the others?
How do we respond? Do we use the formulas learned by heart at the catechism and repeated without been influenced by them or do we have a response that comes from the depths of our hearts, from our feelings, from our love for Him and our gratitude for the salvation that He offers us?
When Jesus says that he has to suffer and be handed over to death, Peter refuses that information and Jesus reacts with harsh words: "Depart from me Satan" as the way you think is not God’s way. Peter has not understood the plan of God, he wants a Christ who is triumphant and powerful, and that is not the Christ of God the Father, who gives his life for the salvation of the world. We need to revisit our own beliefs about the idea we have of Jesus.
We are tempted to choose only the message of Jesus that we like, that fulfils our life and possibly that corresponds to our own ideas, but refusing what we do not like. We need to follow in the same footsteps of Jesus, who gave up his life for us. There is no resurrection to a new life without suffering and death. The experience of Easter is the foundation of our Christian life, it is indispensable for our faith and our relationship with Christ.
We would like to accept only what is good and comfortable. We experience a lot of resistance to change, to growing in faith and holiness; conversion is a very difficult path to follow; maintaining a strong Christian commitment, day after day, can be very exhausting. Often we do not experience the joy of salvation and of the new life in Christ because we live poorly.
Jesus tells us very clearly at the end of the Gospel: “If anyone wants to be follower of mine, let him renounce himself an take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it”.
May the Spirit give us light and grace to answer Jesus´ question with Peter´s heart and according to Jesus´ will.