Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C
June 19, 2016
Gospel: Lk 9:18-24
Once when Jesus was praying by himself, and the
disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They
said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the
ancient prophets has arisen.’” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I
am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” He scolded them and directed
them not to tell this to anyone.
He 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.”
Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after
me, he must deny
himself (1) and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life (2) for my sake will save it.”
(http://www.usccb.org)
The difficult words
(1)For a Christian to deny himself/ herself, means that he/she fights
against selfishness.
(2) When Jesus talks about losing his/ her life, he means that the only way to
be truly happy is to do what God wants.
This week’s spotlight
The Son of Man
In the Gospels, Jesus often speaks of himself by using
this mysterious expression. It comes from the Old Testament. The prophet Daniel
had announced the coming of a "Son of Man" whom God would establish
as a king to judge the world. But God did something else even more wonderful -
his envoy, Jesus, is a "Son of Man,” but he is also the “Son of God."
And he didn't come to judge us, but to save us.
Take up your cross
In today's Gospel, Jesus warns that those who want to
come after him must take up their crosses each day. Even though Jesus is the
Messiah, he had to suffer greatly. As his followers, we should not expect
riches, honors, and an easy life in this world. To be like Jesus may mean
putting up with weaknesses, fears, and many struggles. We carry our crosses
daily by giving Jesus first place in our lives, and by accepting life's
difficulties with an attitude of faith, hope, and love.
Reflection
A purifying fountain
The prophet Zechariah announces today that
the Lord will pour out grace on his people, and open a fountain to purify their
sins. He says that when this happens, the people "shall look on him whom
they have pierced” and weep for him.This strange promise, if you think about it
carefully, points to Jesus on the cross. His hands and feet were pierced with
nails, and his side opened like a fountain of purifying blood and water. Jesus
knew the prophecies of Zechariah, and he also predicted that he would suffer
greatly and be killed. Jesus warned too that his followers would have to take
up their crosses daily. We don’t naturally like to think about Jesus’
sufferings - or our own. But the story does not end there. Jesus rises from the
dead, and we will also rise. In this world, selfish people seem to get what
they want, and they never seem to suffer. In God's kingdom,“whoever loses his
life...will save it."
Discussion questions
1.Who does Peter say Jesus is?
2.What does Jesus tell the disciples will happen to him?
3.What does Jesus say those who wish to be his followers must do?
4.What do you think it means to “take up your cross?”
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. I
believe that Jesus is really the Messiah, your Son. May his Body and Blood
strengthen me to follow him and to take up my cross each day with love. In your
great mercy, help me to accept my weaknesses with trust in your love.
This week…
Put Christ at the
center of your life
Each time you are on your way somewhere (to school, to
the store, to the pool...). take time to say a prayer in your heart, for
example: "Jesus, you are the Son of God" or "Jesus, teach me to
live as a child of God."
Losing gracefully
This week, don't insist on getting everything you want
or on winning every game that you play. Focus on helping others have a good
time. If things don't go your way, accept it with joy!
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