Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 96
Lectionary: 96
Thus says the LORD:
I will pour out on the house of David
and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem
a spirit of grace and petition;
and they shall look on him whom they have pierced,
and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son,
and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a firstborn.
On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be as great
as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
On that day there shall be open to the house of David
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
a fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness.
I will pour out on the house of David
and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem
a spirit of grace and petition;
and they shall look on him whom they have pierced,
and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son,
and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a firstborn.
On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be as great
as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
On that day there shall be open to the house of David
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
a fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness.
R. (2b) My soul
is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Brothers and sisters:
Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s children,
heirs according to the promise.
Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s children,
heirs according to the promise.
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
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
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
12th
Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Zechariah 12:10-11
The Book of Zechariah (Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers”) comes chronologically after that of Haggai. The prophet Zechariah belonged to a priestly family which had returned from the Babylonian exile. Like Haggai, he was called by God in 520 B.C. He probably lived until very near the time the new Temple was finished.
When the Jews returned to Jerusalem after being released by Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, an altar was immediately erected on the ruins of the Temple of Solomon and sacrifices were offered to Yahweh. Then the building of a new Temple was begun. But after the foundations had been laid, the work was interrupted and finally stopped by the interference of the Samaritans. Haggai had given the first impulse to the building of the temple, Zechariah saw to it that the people and their leaders did not lose courage as the work slowly progressed and the opposition of the Samaritans increased. Like Haggai, Zechariah saw in the completion of the Temple the prelude to the new and glorious age of the Messiah.
Again and again in the course of his prophecy Zechariah seeks to revive the chosen people’s faith in their glorious destiny by picturing the doom of their oppressions and the great peace of the Messianic Kingdom.
10 I will pour out
A phrase found frequently in eschatological passages. It helps to maintain the setting of the last days of the Lord.
on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and petition;
That God will pour a spirit into people means that He will take the initiative in bringing about in them a new interior attitude. The tenor of this section indicates that the new attitude must be one flowing from repentance for some wrongdoing which sprang from an evil attitude.
and they shall look on him
All the ancient versions have “to me” which expresses the basic turning or converting toward God. Removing “to me” and placing “on him” in its place gives the sense of the quotation of this in John 19:37. A translation with “to me” would read “and they shall look to me, and they shall mourn for him whom they have thrust through as one mourns for an only son.” Either translation may be correct.
whom they have thrust through, and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a first-born. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be as great as the mourning of Hadadrimmon
Can be either the storm-god Hadad or the chief deity of Damascus, Rimmon (2 Kings 5:18), whose death was mourned each year at the return of the dry season. Jerome identified the term as a city very near Megiddo, later called Maximianopolis, and today Tel Mutesellim. Because it controlled the trade routes between the countries north and south of Palestine, Megiddo has been the site of great battles throughout sacred and profane history.
in the plain of Megiddo.
2nd Reading - Galatians 3:26-29
At the beginning of his 3rd missionary journey, around the year A.D. 53, Saint Paul passed through Galatia to visit the Christian communities he had established in the area (Acts 13:14ff), which he had also visited during his 2nd journey (Acts 16:1-5). The communities in question were in the southern part of Galatia: Pisidia, Antioch, Konium, Derbe, and Lystra. The Galatians had responded very well to Paul’s apostolate and the churches were flourishing.
However, on this last journey, Saint Paul was very surprised to find that the Galatian Christians (most of whom came from a Gentile background) had been led astray by “false brethren” (Judaizers), who made out that Christians should conform to the Mosaic law and, therefore, should be circumcised. Perhaps because he was short of time, the Apostle was unable to go into the matter in detail; at any rate, when he reached Ephesus (A.D. 53-54) he wrote the Galatians a letter refuting the errors involved, in which he goes into the whole question of the relationship between the Gospel and Mosaic law, between the Old Covenant and the New. He tries to get them to see that the key point is this: Accepting Mosaic doctrine would mean in practice renouncing the justification won for us by Christ – and therefore denying the value of the redemption; it would imply renouncing freedom, because they would be submitting to the voice of the Law, which is slavery; it would mean rejecting the grace and salvation which faith in Jesus the Christ brings with it. The universality of the Church would be destroyed and Christ’s doctrine irreparably damaged.
The Judaizers, for their part, were arguing that God Himself had instituted the Law of Moses, which Christ had come not “to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). They even went as far as to invoke the authority of the twelve against Paul, ignoring the decisions of the Council of Jerusalem which had gone into this whole question and with whose teaching Saint Paul was in line (Acts 15:28-29).
26 For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
Filial adoption is the new relation of Christians to God, achieved “through Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:17). Faith for Paul is more than belief, it is that attitude of man by which he accepts the divine revelation made known through Christ and responds to it with a complete dedication of his own personal life to him – in the context here, they have accepted Christian baptism with all its spiritual washing and rebirth.
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ
Baptism is the sacramental complement of faith, the rite whereby a person achieves union with Christ and publicly manifests his commitment.
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Put on the garment of purity. Now we must be imitators of Christ in all our actions.
“Since he has said something great and remarkable, he also explains how one is made a son. ‘For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.’ Why didn’t he say, ‘All you who were baptized into Christ have been born of God,’ since that is the inference from showing that they were sons? Because what he says is more awe-inspiring. For if Christ is the Son of God and you put Him on, having the Son inside yourself and being made like him, you have been made one in kind and form.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. A.D. 392), Homilies on the Epistle to the Galatians, 2,3,25-26
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Secondary differences vanish through the effects of this primary incorporation of Christians into Christ’s body through one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).
“Do you see how insatiable his soul is? For having said that we have become sons of God through faith, he does not stop here but seeks out something more to say, which can make still more plain our closer unity with Christ. And having said ‘You have clothed yourselves with Christ,’ he is not content with this, but interpreting it he speaks of something more intimate than this association and says, ‘you are all one in Christ Jesus’ – that is, you have one form, one character, that of Christ. What words could inspire more awe than these? The former Jew or slave is clothed in the form not of an angel or archangel but of the Lord Himself and in himself displays Christ.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. A.D. 392), Homilies on the Epistle to the Galatians, 3,27]
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.
Genesis 22:17-18 says “Your decedents shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your descendants shall the nations of the earth bless themselves.” We get all this through Isaac, not Ishmael (Romans 9:7).
Gospel - Luke 9:18-24
Luke uses Chapter nine of his gospel to segue (transition) from Jesus’ Galilean ministry to His journey to Jerusalem. The themes of Jesus’ Galilean ministry where He preached about the fulfillment of God’s promise, restored men and women to health, and cast out demons, are now focused through the cross.
18 Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
In Lucan imagery, when Jesus prays, something very important theologically is about to occur.
and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
These answers concur with those given to Herod in Luke 9:7-8.
20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.”
Peter is the spokesperson for the disciples. In the Lucan story line, Peter’s answer is dependent on what he has seen Jesus do and what he himself has done in Jesus’ name. Thus, Peter’s answer focuses on Jesus’ power to save needy people from the forces of evil.
21 He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
Jesus at once demands silence, lest the crowds acclaim Him according to their false political or national ideas. His kingdom is not of this earth. The “Messianic Secret” of Mark thus becomes in Luke the mystery of the suffering Messiah.
22 He said, “The Son of Man must
All three synoptic gospels use the word “must” here, emphasizing the necessity of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.
suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
See Psalm 118:22. Luke omits Peter’s blustering remonstrance and Jesus’ stern reply (Matthew 16:22f; Mark 8:32f).
23 Then he said to all,
In Luke’s gospel, the reference to “all” would be to those who were fed at the multiplication of loaves, thereby linking the sacrifice of the cross with the Eucharistic symbolism of the miraculous feeding.
“If anyone wishes to come after me,
Luke has not only left out Peter’s contradiction, he now proceeds to apply the message of the cross to all Christians.
he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
To be a follower requires that we walk in His footsteps and suffer the same indignities for truth – even to death.
24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Few sayings of Jesus are so well attested as this. It occurs in Matthew 10:39 and 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24 (here) and 17:33. Luke omits “and for the gospel” which occurs after “for my sake” in Mark 8:35 thus Luke concentrates attention much more personally upon Jesus.
The remainder of this teaching is contained in verses 25-27:
25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Zechariah 12:10-11
The Book of Zechariah (Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers”) comes chronologically after that of Haggai. The prophet Zechariah belonged to a priestly family which had returned from the Babylonian exile. Like Haggai, he was called by God in 520 B.C. He probably lived until very near the time the new Temple was finished.
When the Jews returned to Jerusalem after being released by Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, an altar was immediately erected on the ruins of the Temple of Solomon and sacrifices were offered to Yahweh. Then the building of a new Temple was begun. But after the foundations had been laid, the work was interrupted and finally stopped by the interference of the Samaritans. Haggai had given the first impulse to the building of the temple, Zechariah saw to it that the people and their leaders did not lose courage as the work slowly progressed and the opposition of the Samaritans increased. Like Haggai, Zechariah saw in the completion of the Temple the prelude to the new and glorious age of the Messiah.
Again and again in the course of his prophecy Zechariah seeks to revive the chosen people’s faith in their glorious destiny by picturing the doom of their oppressions and the great peace of the Messianic Kingdom.
10 I will pour out
A phrase found frequently in eschatological passages. It helps to maintain the setting of the last days of the Lord.
on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and petition;
That God will pour a spirit into people means that He will take the initiative in bringing about in them a new interior attitude. The tenor of this section indicates that the new attitude must be one flowing from repentance for some wrongdoing which sprang from an evil attitude.
and they shall look on him
All the ancient versions have “to me” which expresses the basic turning or converting toward God. Removing “to me” and placing “on him” in its place gives the sense of the quotation of this in John 19:37. A translation with “to me” would read “and they shall look to me, and they shall mourn for him whom they have thrust through as one mourns for an only son.” Either translation may be correct.
whom they have thrust through, and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they shall grieve over him as one grieves over a first-born. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem shall be as great as the mourning of Hadadrimmon
Can be either the storm-god Hadad or the chief deity of Damascus, Rimmon (2 Kings 5:18), whose death was mourned each year at the return of the dry season. Jerome identified the term as a city very near Megiddo, later called Maximianopolis, and today Tel Mutesellim. Because it controlled the trade routes between the countries north and south of Palestine, Megiddo has been the site of great battles throughout sacred and profane history.
in the plain of Megiddo.
2nd Reading - Galatians 3:26-29
At the beginning of his 3rd missionary journey, around the year A.D. 53, Saint Paul passed through Galatia to visit the Christian communities he had established in the area (Acts 13:14ff), which he had also visited during his 2nd journey (Acts 16:1-5). The communities in question were in the southern part of Galatia: Pisidia, Antioch, Konium, Derbe, and Lystra. The Galatians had responded very well to Paul’s apostolate and the churches were flourishing.
However, on this last journey, Saint Paul was very surprised to find that the Galatian Christians (most of whom came from a Gentile background) had been led astray by “false brethren” (Judaizers), who made out that Christians should conform to the Mosaic law and, therefore, should be circumcised. Perhaps because he was short of time, the Apostle was unable to go into the matter in detail; at any rate, when he reached Ephesus (A.D. 53-54) he wrote the Galatians a letter refuting the errors involved, in which he goes into the whole question of the relationship between the Gospel and Mosaic law, between the Old Covenant and the New. He tries to get them to see that the key point is this: Accepting Mosaic doctrine would mean in practice renouncing the justification won for us by Christ – and therefore denying the value of the redemption; it would imply renouncing freedom, because they would be submitting to the voice of the Law, which is slavery; it would mean rejecting the grace and salvation which faith in Jesus the Christ brings with it. The universality of the Church would be destroyed and Christ’s doctrine irreparably damaged.
The Judaizers, for their part, were arguing that God Himself had instituted the Law of Moses, which Christ had come not “to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). They even went as far as to invoke the authority of the twelve against Paul, ignoring the decisions of the Council of Jerusalem which had gone into this whole question and with whose teaching Saint Paul was in line (Acts 15:28-29).
26 For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
Filial adoption is the new relation of Christians to God, achieved “through Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:17). Faith for Paul is more than belief, it is that attitude of man by which he accepts the divine revelation made known through Christ and responds to it with a complete dedication of his own personal life to him – in the context here, they have accepted Christian baptism with all its spiritual washing and rebirth.
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ
Baptism is the sacramental complement of faith, the rite whereby a person achieves union with Christ and publicly manifests his commitment.
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Put on the garment of purity. Now we must be imitators of Christ in all our actions.
“Since he has said something great and remarkable, he also explains how one is made a son. ‘For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.’ Why didn’t he say, ‘All you who were baptized into Christ have been born of God,’ since that is the inference from showing that they were sons? Because what he says is more awe-inspiring. For if Christ is the Son of God and you put Him on, having the Son inside yourself and being made like him, you have been made one in kind and form.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. A.D. 392), Homilies on the Epistle to the Galatians, 2,3,25-26
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Secondary differences vanish through the effects of this primary incorporation of Christians into Christ’s body through one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).
“Do you see how insatiable his soul is? For having said that we have become sons of God through faith, he does not stop here but seeks out something more to say, which can make still more plain our closer unity with Christ. And having said ‘You have clothed yourselves with Christ,’ he is not content with this, but interpreting it he speaks of something more intimate than this association and says, ‘you are all one in Christ Jesus’ – that is, you have one form, one character, that of Christ. What words could inspire more awe than these? The former Jew or slave is clothed in the form not of an angel or archangel but of the Lord Himself and in himself displays Christ.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. A.D. 392), Homilies on the Epistle to the Galatians, 3,27]
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.
Genesis 22:17-18 says “Your decedents shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your descendants shall the nations of the earth bless themselves.” We get all this through Isaac, not Ishmael (Romans 9:7).
Gospel - Luke 9:18-24
Luke uses Chapter nine of his gospel to segue (transition) from Jesus’ Galilean ministry to His journey to Jerusalem. The themes of Jesus’ Galilean ministry where He preached about the fulfillment of God’s promise, restored men and women to health, and cast out demons, are now focused through the cross.
18 Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
In Lucan imagery, when Jesus prays, something very important theologically is about to occur.
and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
These answers concur with those given to Herod in Luke 9:7-8.
20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.”
Peter is the spokesperson for the disciples. In the Lucan story line, Peter’s answer is dependent on what he has seen Jesus do and what he himself has done in Jesus’ name. Thus, Peter’s answer focuses on Jesus’ power to save needy people from the forces of evil.
21 He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
Jesus at once demands silence, lest the crowds acclaim Him according to their false political or national ideas. His kingdom is not of this earth. The “Messianic Secret” of Mark thus becomes in Luke the mystery of the suffering Messiah.
22 He said, “The Son of Man must
All three synoptic gospels use the word “must” here, emphasizing the necessity of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.
suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
See Psalm 118:22. Luke omits Peter’s blustering remonstrance and Jesus’ stern reply (Matthew 16:22f; Mark 8:32f).
23 Then he said to all,
In Luke’s gospel, the reference to “all” would be to those who were fed at the multiplication of loaves, thereby linking the sacrifice of the cross with the Eucharistic symbolism of the miraculous feeding.
“If anyone wishes to come after me,
Luke has not only left out Peter’s contradiction, he now proceeds to apply the message of the cross to all Christians.
he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
To be a follower requires that we walk in His footsteps and suffer the same indignities for truth – even to death.
24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Few sayings of Jesus are so well attested as this. It occurs in Matthew 10:39 and 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24 (here) and 17:33. Luke omits “and for the gospel” which occurs after “for my sake” in Mark 8:35 thus Luke concentrates attention much more personally upon Jesus.
The remainder of this teaching is contained in verses 25-27:
25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
Meditation: "Who do you say that Jesus is?"
Who is Jesus for you - and what difference does he
make in your life? Many in Israel recognized Jesus as a mighty man of God, even
comparing him with the greatest of the prophets. Peter, always quick to respond
whenever Jesus spoke, professed that Jesus was truly the "Christ of
God" - "the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). No mortal
being could have revealed this to Peter, but only God. Through the "eyes
of faith" Peter discovered who Jesus truly was. Peter recognized that
Jesus was much more than a great teacher, prophet, and miracle worker. Peter
was the first apostle to publicly declare that Jesus was the Anointed
One, consecrated by the Father and sent into the world to redeem a
fallen human race enslaved to sin and cut off from eternal life with God (Luke
9:20, Acts 2:14-36). The word for "Christ" in Greek is a translation
of the Hebrew word for "Messiah" - both words
literally mean the Anointed One.
Jesus begins to explain the mission he was sent to
accomplish
Why did Jesus command his disciples to be silent about his identity as the anointed Son of God? They were, after all, appointed to proclaim the good news to everyone. Jesus knew that they did not yet fully understand his mission and how he would accomplish it. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), an early church father, explains the reason for this silence:
Why did Jesus command his disciples to be silent about his identity as the anointed Son of God? They were, after all, appointed to proclaim the good news to everyone. Jesus knew that they did not yet fully understand his mission and how he would accomplish it. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), an early church father, explains the reason for this silence:
There were things
yet unfulfilled which must also be included in their preaching about him. They
must also proclaim the cross, the passion, and the death in the flesh. They
must preach the resurrection of the dead, that great and truly glorious sign by
which testimony is borne him that the Emmanuel is truly God and by nature the
Son of God the Father. He utterly abolished death and wiped out destruction. He
robbed hell, and overthrew the tyranny of the enemy. He took away the sin of
the world, opened the gates above to the dwellers upon earth, and united earth
to heaven. These things proved him to be, as I said, in truth God. He commanded
them, therefore, to guard the mystery by a seasonable silence until the whole
plan of the dispensation should arrive at a suitable conclusion. (Commentary on Luke, Homily
49)
God's Anointed Son must suffer and die to
atone for our sins
Jesus told his disciples that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and die in order that God's work of redemption might be accomplished. How startled the disciples were when they heard this word. How different are God's thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8). It was through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross that Jesus broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of sin and from the oppression of our enemy, Satan, the father of lies and the deceiver of humankind.
Jesus told his disciples that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and die in order that God's work of redemption might be accomplished. How startled the disciples were when they heard this word. How different are God's thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8). It was through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross that Jesus broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of sin and from the oppression of our enemy, Satan, the father of lies and the deceiver of humankind.
We, too, have a share in the mission and victory of
Jesus Christ
If we want to share in the victory of the Lord Jesus, then we must also take up our cross and follow where he leads us. What is the "cross" that you and I must take up each day? When my will crosses (does not align) with God's will, then his will must be done. To know Jesus Christ is to know the power of his victory on the cross where he defeated sin and conquered death through his resurrection. The Holy Spirit gives each of us the gifts and strength we need to live as sons and daughters of God. The Holy Spirit gives us faith to know the Lord Jesus personally as our Redeemer, and the power to live the gospel faithfully, and the courage to witness to others the joy, truth, and freedom of the Gospel. Who do you say that Jesus is?
If we want to share in the victory of the Lord Jesus, then we must also take up our cross and follow where he leads us. What is the "cross" that you and I must take up each day? When my will crosses (does not align) with God's will, then his will must be done. To know Jesus Christ is to know the power of his victory on the cross where he defeated sin and conquered death through his resurrection. The Holy Spirit gives each of us the gifts and strength we need to live as sons and daughters of God. The Holy Spirit gives us faith to know the Lord Jesus personally as our Redeemer, and the power to live the gospel faithfully, and the courage to witness to others the joy, truth, and freedom of the Gospel. Who do you say that Jesus is?
"Lord Jesus, I believe and I profess that you are
the Christ, the Son of the living God. Take my life, my will, and all that I
have, that I may be wholly yours now and forever."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Peter confesses that Jesus is God's Anointed
Son and Savior of all, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"You see the skillfulness of the question. He
[Jesus] did not at once say, 'Who do you say that I am?' He refers to the rumor
of those that were outside their company. Then, having rejected it and shown it
unsound, he might bring them back to the true opinion. It happened that way.
When the disciples had said, 'Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and
others, that some prophet of those in old time has risen up,' he said to them,
'But you, who do you say that I am?' Oh! how full of meaning is that word you!
He separates them from all others, that they may also avoid the opinions of
others. In this way, they will not conceive an unworthy idea about him or
entertain confused and wavering thoughts. Then they will not also imagine that
John had risen again, or one of the prophets. 'You,' he says, 'who have been
chosen,' who by my decree have been called to the apostleship, who are the
witnesses of my miracles. Who do you say that I am?'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 49)
TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, LUKE 9:18-24
(Zechariah 12:10-11,13:1; Psalm 63; Galatians 3:26-29)
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, LUKE 9:18-24
(Zechariah 12:10-11,13:1; Psalm 63; Galatians 3:26-29)
KEY VERSE: "But who do you say that I am?" (v.20).
TO KNOW: Jesus had been praying in solitude, and then he asked his disciples who the people believed him to be. They answered that some thought he was John the Baptist, while others believed him to be Elijah, and still others thought he was one of the ancient prophets who had arisen. Jesus then asked what they personally believed about him. Peter spoke for the Twelve declaring that Jesus was the "Messiah of God" (v 20, in Greek christos, the equivalent of the Hebrew term mashiach meaning "anointed one"). The title "Messiah" had grown in popularity, and among certain groups, it was applied to a descendant of the royal family of David who would come to restore the kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6). Jesus told his followers not to reveal his true identity as many would expect a political leader who would set Israel free from foreign oppression. Jesus then taught them about his coming passion and death, and the necessity of the cross for all who would follow him.
TO LOVE: Reflect on your understanding of who Jesus is.
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, you are my Savior, my healer, my liberator, my refuge, my rock, my fortress, my peace and my hope.
Sunday 19 June, 2016
Sun 19th. 12th Sunday in
Ordinary Time. Zechariah 12:10-11; 13:1. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord
my God—Ps 62(63):2-6, 8-9. Galatians 3:26-29. Luke 9:18-24.
‘Who do you say I am?’
Interrupting a moment of
prayerful intimacy with God, Jesus asks his disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’.
Peter’s response, ‘The Christ of God’, is similar to Martha’s act of faith at
the time Jesus raised her brother Lazarus from the dead (Jn 11:27). Others with
insights into his identity include the woman of Samaria: ‘Sir, I see you are a
prophet’ (Jn 4:19). ‘Could he be the Messiah?’ she asks her townspeople (Jn
19:30). On Calvary the Roman centurion exclaims, ‘Truly this man was the Son of
God’ (Mt 27:54). Jesus’ question must be addressed frequently throughout our
lives. Indeed, it is one which we must answer with our lives.
With St Augustine I pray,
‘Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know you, and desire nothing save
only you.’
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Meeting God
|
I look forward every day to the surprising ways in which love,
strength, betrayal, and sin will be revealed, until that definitive meeting
with that wonderful face, that face, although I do not know what it looks like,
from which I flee continually, but which I want to know and to love.
June 19
St. Romuald
(950?-1027)
St. Romuald
(950?-1027)
After a wasted youth, Romuald saw his
father kill a relative in a duel over property. In horror he fled to a
monastery near Ravenna in Italy. After three years some of the monks found him
to be uncomfortably holy and eased him out.
He spent the next 30 years going about Italy, founding
monasteries and hermitages. He longed to give his life to Christ in martyrdom,
and got the pope’s permission to preach the gospel in Hungary. But he was
struck with illness as soon as he arrived, and the illness recurred as often as
he tried to proceed.
During another period of his life, he suffered great
spiritual dryness. One day as he was praying Psalm 31 (“I will give you
understanding and I will instruct you”), he was given an extraordinary light
and spirit which never left him.
At the next monastery where he stayed, he was accused
of a scandalous crime by a young nobleman he had rebuked for a dissolute life.
Amazingly, his fellow monks believed the accusation. He was given a severe
penance, forbidden to offer Mass and excommunicated, an unjust sentence he
endured in silence for six months.
The most famous of the monasteries he founded was that
of the Camaldoli (Campus Maldoli, name of the owner) in Tuscany. Here he
founded the Order of the Camaldolese Benedictines, uniting a monastic and
hermit life.
His father later became a monk, wavered and was kept
faithful by the encouragement of his son.
Story:
A Polish duke had a son in the monastery where
Romuald was living. On behalf of his father, the son presented Romuald with a
fine horse. Romuald exchanged it for a donkey, saying that he felt closer to
Jesus Christ on such a mount.
Comment:
Christ is a gentle leader, but he calls us to total holiness. Now and then men and women are raised up to challenge us by the absoluteness of their dedication, the vigor of their spirit, the depth of their conversion. The fact that we cannot duplicate their lives does not change the call to us to be totally open to God in our own particular circumstances.
Christ is a gentle leader, but he calls us to total holiness. Now and then men and women are raised up to challenge us by the absoluteness of their dedication, the vigor of their spirit, the depth of their conversion. The fact that we cannot duplicate their lives does not change the call to us to be totally open to God in our own particular circumstances.
LECTIO DIVINA: 12TH SUNDAY OF
ORDINARY TIME (C)
Lectio
Divina:
Sunday,
June 19, 2016
The
profession of Peter
"who do you say that I am?"
Luke 9,18-24
"who do you say that I am?"
Luke 9,18-24
1.
Opening prayer
“O
Holy Spirit, you who unite my soul to God: move it with ardent desires and
enkindle it with the fire of your love. How good you are with me, O Holy
Spirit of God: may you be praised and blessed for the great love that you pour
out upon me! My God and my Creator, is it ever possible that there would
be someone who would not love you? For so long I have not loved
you! Forgive me, Lord. O Holy Spirit, grant that my soul may be
completely God’s, and that I may serve Him without any personal interest, but
only because He is my Father and because He loves me. My God and my all,
is there perhaps any other thing that I could possibly desire? Only You
would satisfy me. Amen.” (St. Teresa of Jesus)
2.
Gospel Reading - Luke 9,18-24
Once
when Jesus was praying in solitude, 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 Messiah of God." He rebuked
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 and take
up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
3.
A moment of prayerful silence
so
that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4.
Some questions
•
We all believe in Jesus. But there are some who understand him in one way and
others in another way. Today, which is the more common Jesus in the way of
thinking of people?
• How does propaganda interfere in my way of seeing Jesus? What do I do so as not to allow myself to be drawn by the propaganda? What prevents us today from recognizing and assuming the project of Jesus?
• How does propaganda interfere in my way of seeing Jesus? What do I do so as not to allow myself to be drawn by the propaganda? What prevents us today from recognizing and assuming the project of Jesus?
•
We are waiting for the messiah, each in our own way. What is the messiah that I
look for and expect for?
•
The requirement to follow Jesus is the cross. How do I react with the
cross of my life?
5.
For those who wish to go deeper into the theme
•
The Gospel today follows the same theme as that of the previous verses: the
opinion of the people on Jesus. The previous versese of chapter 9, beginning
with Herod, today it is Jesus who asks what do people think, the public opinion
and the Apostles respond giving the same opinion which was given yesterday.
Immediately follows the first announcement of the Passion, death and
Resurrection of Jesus.
• Luke 9, 18: The question of Jesus after his prayer. “One day, while Jesus was praying alone, his disciples came to him and he put this question to them: “Who do the crowds say I am?” In Luke’s Gospel, on several important and decisive occasions, Jesus is presented in prayer: in his Baptism when he assumes his mission (Lk 3, 21); in the 40 days in the desert, when, he overcame the temptations presented by the devil Lk 4, 1-13); the night before choosing the twelve apostles (Lk 6, 12); in the Transfiguration, when, with Moses and Elijah he spoke about his passion in Jerusalem (Lc 9, 29); in the Garden when he suffers his agony (Lk 22, 39-46); on the Cross, when he asks pardon for the soldier (Lk 23, 34) and when he commits his spirit to God (Lk 23, 46).
• Luke 9, 18: The question of Jesus after his prayer. “One day, while Jesus was praying alone, his disciples came to him and he put this question to them: “Who do the crowds say I am?” In Luke’s Gospel, on several important and decisive occasions, Jesus is presented in prayer: in his Baptism when he assumes his mission (Lk 3, 21); in the 40 days in the desert, when, he overcame the temptations presented by the devil Lk 4, 1-13); the night before choosing the twelve apostles (Lk 6, 12); in the Transfiguration, when, with Moses and Elijah he spoke about his passion in Jerusalem (Lc 9, 29); in the Garden when he suffers his agony (Lk 22, 39-46); on the Cross, when he asks pardon for the soldier (Lk 23, 34) and when he commits his spirit to God (Lk 23, 46).
• Luke 9, 19: The opinion of the people on Jesus. “They answered: “For some John the Baptist; others Elijah, but others think that you are one of the ancient prophets who has risen from the dead”. Like Herod, many thought that John the Baptist had risen in Jesus. It was a common belief that the prophet Elijah had to return (Mt 17, 10-13; Mk 9, 11-12; Ml 3, 23-24; Eclo 48, 10). And all nourished the hope of the coming of the Prophet promised by Moses (Dt 18,15). This was an insufficient response.
• Luke 9, 20: The question of Jesus to the disciples. After having heard the opinion of others, Jesus asks: “And you, who do you say I am?” Peter answers: “The Messiah of God!” Peter recognizes that Jesus is the one whom the people are waiting for and that he comes to fulfil the promise. Luke omits the reaction of Peter who tries to dissuade Jesus to follow the way of the cross and omits also the harsh criticism of Jesus to Peter (Mk 8, 32-33; Mt 16, 22-23).
• Luke 9, 21: The prohibition to reveal that Jesus is the Messiah of God. “Then Jesus gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone”. It was forbidden to them to reveal to the people that Jesus is the Messiah of God. Why does Jesus prohibit this? At that time, as we have already seen, everybody was expecting the coming of the Messiah, but, each one in his own way: some expected a king, others a priest, others a doctor, a warrior, a judge or a prophet! Nobody seemed to expect the Messiah Servant, announced by Isaiah (Is 42, 1-9). Anyone who insists in maintaining Peter’s idea, that is, of a glorious Messiah, without the cross, understands nothing and will never be able to assume the attitude of a true disciple. He will continue to be blind, exchanging people for trees (cf. Mk 8, 24). Because without the cross it is impossible to understand who Jesus is and what it means to followJesus. Because of this, Jesus insists again on the Cross and makes the second announcement of his passion, death and resurrection.
•
Luke 9:22-24: Following Jesus. ‘Then he said to all,
"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his
cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”’ The full
understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained through theoretical
instruction, but through practical commitment, walking with him along the way
of service, from Galilee to Jerusalem. The way of following is the way of
self-giving, of abandonment, of service, of availability, of acceptance of
conflict, knowing that there will be resurrection. The cross is not an
incidental event, but is rather part of this way, because in a world organized
on selfish principles, love and service can only exist as crucified! He
or she who makes of his or her life a service to others, disturbs those who
live grasping at privileges, and suffers…
6.
Prayer: Psalm 1
Happy
those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked,
Nor
go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers.
Rather,
the law of the LORD is their joy;
God's
law they study day and night.
They
are like a tree planted near streams of water,
that
yields its fruit in season;
Its
leaves never wither;
whatever
they do prospers.
But
not the wicked!
They
are like chaff driven by the wind.
Therefore
the wicked will not survive judgment,
nor
will sinners in the assembly of the just.
The
LORD watches over the way of the just,
but
the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
7.
Final Prayer
Lord
Jesus, thank you for your word that we can see better the will of the Father.
May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to follow your
Word that revealed to us. Make us, like Mary, your mother, not only to listen
but also to practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father and the
Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.
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