Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 16: 21-27
September 3, 2023 | Sunday

Today’s Gospel

From that day, Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem; that he would suffer many things from the Jewish authorities, the chief priests and the teachers of the law; and that he would be killed and be raised on the third day. Then Peter took him aside and began to reproach him, “Never, Lord! No, this must never happen to you!” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path. You are thinking not as God does, but as people do.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you want to follow me, deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow me. For whoever chooses to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life, for my sake, will find it. What will one gain by winning the whole world, if he destroys his soul? Or what can a person give, in exchange for his life? Know, that the Son of Man will come, in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, and he will reward each one according to his deeds.

 Today’s Reflection:

From the moment the Son acceded to the Father’s will to experience human life in all its intricacies, He knew where He is to be led, to Calvary. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is indeed the perfect act of spiritual worship to the Father. Such is the model of our self-offering to
God that today’s second reading tells us. However, the reality of this truth could not be easily grasped by all just like Peter’s reaction when Christ predicted His pending passion, death, and resurrection for our redemption. But the truth could never be concealed. We only have to let it unfold before us in all its splendor. The first reading communicates that no matter how hard we try to resist proclaiming God’s message, we just could not hold it. We must let it out and express it, especially in deed.

In the world, there is a great challenge to live out the Gospel we hear. It is surely both a burden and a blessing to struggle in making God’s Word alive. Let us continue to pray for His grace so that we could join hands in transforming the mundane ways of the world in conformity with the ways of the Divine and not otherwise..    /Vulnerasti, 2023