Peter’s Confession about Jesus; First Prediction of the passion

Today's Reflections

                               

 

     

Peter’s Confession about Jesus; First Prediction of the passion 

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Lk 9:18-24

¹⁸Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” ¹⁹They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ ” ²⁰Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” ²¹He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

²²He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” ²³Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Reflection:

The Christ of God. Peter makes the correct confession that Jesus is the Messiah of God. Jesus is not a self-proclaimed messiah. Nor is he a messiah by the choice of human beings. It is God who chooses him to be the Messiah, and hence he must be the Messiah in God’s way. Thus Jesus says that he must suffer greatly, die, and be raised from the dead. Jesus will willingly take God’s way, even though his feelings may cringe from it.

Then Jesus, who has accepted and will accept the way of God, challenges those who follow him to take the same path. They must also deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow him.

Following Jesus is not walking through a rose garden; it entails taking the way of the cross. It means carrying the cross daily. It means giving ourselves in love for Christ’s sake (and in this losing it for his sake) in order to save it. Vatican II said something similar: “Man… the only creature on earth which God has willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself” (Gaudium et Spes, 24).

Is God’s way also your way?

You are a Christian, a follower of Christ;

there is no other way for you.