Gospel – Matthew 16:21-27
Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”
Reflection on the Gospel
Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
One would think that thinking as human beings do would be a good thing.
After all, the psalmist says we are made “a little less than the angels.”
However, Jesus sets his hopes for us very high.
He thinks I can learn to think as God does.
He thinks I can see things the way God sees them.
The example of his hopes for me is quite a challenge.
He wants me to lose my life in order to find it.
Can I do it?
Saint John Baptist de La Salle – Pray for us.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts – Forever.