Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary
Time
Lectionary: 338
Lectionary: 338
God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them:
“Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth.
Dread fear of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth
and all the birds of the air,
upon all the creatures that move about on the ground
and all the fishes of the sea;
into your power they are delivered.
Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat;
I give them all to you as I did the green plants.
Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat.
For your own lifeblood, too, I will demand an accounting:
from every animal I will demand it,
and from one man in regard to his fellow man
I will demand an accounting for human life.
If anyone sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed;
For in the image of God
has man been made.
Be fertile, then, and multiply;
abound on earth and subdue it.”
God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.”
“Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth.
Dread fear of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth
and all the birds of the air,
upon all the creatures that move about on the ground
and all the fishes of the sea;
into your power they are delivered.
Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat;
I give them all to you as I did the green plants.
Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat.
For your own lifeblood, too, I will demand an accounting:
from every animal I will demand it,
and from one man in regard to his fellow man
I will demand an accounting for human life.
If anyone sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed;
For in the image of God
has man been made.
Be fertile, then, and multiply;
abound on earth and subdue it.”
God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.”
Responsorial
PsalmPS 102:16-18, 19-21, 29
AND 22-23
R. (20b) From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the LORD may be declared in Zion,
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together,
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the LORD may be declared in Zion,
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together,
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
AlleluiaSEE JN 6:63C, 68C
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 8:27-33
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, please
go here.
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)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, MARK 8:27-33
Weekday
(Genesis 9:1-13; Psalm 102)
Weekday
(Genesis 9:1-13; Psalm 102)
KEY VERSE: "But who do you say that I am?" (v 29).
TO KNOW: Jesus took his disciples to the area of Caesarea Philippi in northern Israel. In that pagan territory, Jesus asked his disciples who they believed him to be. While the people regarded Jesus as just another prophet, Peter professed his belief that Jesus was the Messiah, the one who would bring salvation. This episode marked a turning point in the disciples' understanding of Jesus' role and mission, but they still did not have full comprehension of him. Then Jesus revealed what it meant to be God's anointed one. He told them that he would be rejected, suffer and die for the sins of the people. Peter had difficulty accepting a suffering Messiah, and Jesus warned him that he was allowing Satan to cloud his mind and impede God's will. Anyone who wished to follow Jesus must not be a stumbling stone on the way to the cross. They must get behind Jesus, take up the cross, and share in his struggles and sufferings.
TO LOVE: How can I help someone understand who Jesus is?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to bear my sufferings as I follow you.
Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, bishop and doctor of
the Church
Peter Damian was a professor of great ability. In time, he gave up teaching to become a Benedictine monk. He founded hermitages, and was occasionally called on by the Vatican to make peace between arguing monastic houses, clergymen, and government officials. As Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia, Peter Damian tried to restore discipline among priests and religious who were becoming worldly. A prolific correspondent, he wrote dozens of sermons, seven biographies (including a one of Saint Romuald), and poetry, comprising some of the best Latin of the time. He tried to retire to be a monk, but was routinely recalled as papal legate. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1828.
Thursday 21 February 2019
Genesis 9:1-13. Psalm 101(102):16-21, 29, 22-23. Mark 8:27-33.
From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth – Psalm
101(102):16-21, 29, 22-23.
‘The Son of Man must suffer greatly.’
The scriptures today invite us to contemplate the very nature of
God. In the reading from Genesis, we have the image of the rainbow, the
covenant that God made with humanity and every living creature for all future
generations. The rainbow image is both beautiful and all-encompassing. The
psalmist speaks of a compassionate and liberating God, who hears the groans of
the prisoners and sets free those who were doomed to die. In the gospel, Jesus
shares openly with his disciples that he must undergo great suffering.
Jesus challenges us to set our eyes on divine things. In both
his humanity and his divinity Jesus shows us the fulfilment of God’s promise.
Saint Peter Damian
Saint of the Day for February 21
(988 – February 22, 1072)
 |
| Detail of Cardinal Peter Damian recruits young hermits in the maps room of the Vatican Museums | photo by Livioandronico2013 |
Saint Peter Damian’s Story
Maybe because he was orphaned and had been treated shabbily by
one of his brothers, Peter Damian was very good to the poor. It was the
ordinary thing for him to have a poor person or two with him at table and he
liked to minister personally to their needs.
Peter escaped poverty and the neglect of his own brother when
his other brother, who was archpriest of Ravenna, took him under his wing. His
brother sent him to good schools and Peter became a professor.
Already in those days, Peter was very strict with himself. He
wore a hair shirt under his clothes, fasted rigorously and spent many hours in
prayer. Soon, he decided to leave his teaching and give himself completely to
prayer with the Benedictines of the reform of Saint Romuald at Fonte Avellana.
They lived two monks to a hermitage. Peter was so eager to pray and slept so
little that he soon suffered from severe insomnia. He found he had to use some
prudence in taking care of himself. When he was not praying, he studied the
Bible.
The abbot commanded that when he died Peter should succeed him.
Abbot Peter founded five other hermitages. He encouraged his brothers in a life
of prayer and solitude and wanted nothing more for himself. The Holy See
periodically called on him, however, to be a peacemaker or troubleshooter,
between two abbeys in dispute or a cleric or government official in some
disagreement with Rome.
Finally, Pope Stephen IX made Peter the cardinal-bishop of
Ostia. He worked hard to wipe out simony—the buying of church offices–and
encouraged his priests to observe celibacy and urged even the diocesan clergy
to live together and maintain scheduled prayer and religious observance. He
wished to restore primitive discipline among religious and priests, warning
against needless travel, violations of poverty, and too comfortable living. He
even wrote to the bishop of Besancon complaining that the canons there sat down
when they were singing the psalms in the Divine Office.
He wrote many letters. Some 170 are extant. We also have 53 of
his sermons and seven lives, or biographies, that he wrote. He preferred
examples and stories rather than theory in his writings. The liturgical offices
he wrote are evidence of his talent as a stylist in Latin.
He asked often to be allowed to retire as cardinal-bishop of
Ostia, and finally Pope Alexander II consented. Peter was happy to become once
again just a monk, but he was still called to serve as a papal legate. When
returning from such an assignment in Ravenna, he was overcome by a fever. With
the monks gathered around him saying the Divine Office, he died on February 22,
1072.
In 1828, he was declared a Doctor of the Church.
Reflection
Peter was a reformer and if he were alive today would no doubt
encourage the renewal started by Vatican II. He would also applaud the greater
emphasis on prayer that is shown by the growing number of priests, religious,
and laypersons who gather regularly for prayer, as well as the special houses
of prayer recently established by many religious communities.
LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 8:27-33
Lectio Divina:
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Lord God, merciful Father,
your Son came to set all people free,
to make the poor rich in faith and hope,
to make the rich aware of their poverty.
Unite us all in one trust in you
and in one common concern for one another;
give us all your attitude and that of Jesus,
of not distinguishing between ranks and classes and sexes
but of seeking together the freedom
brought us by Jesus Christ our Lord.
your Son came to set all people free,
to make the poor rich in faith and hope,
to make the rich aware of their poverty.
Unite us all in one trust in you
and in one common concern for one another;
give us all your attitude and that of Jesus,
of not distinguishing between ranks and classes and sexes
but of seeking together the freedom
brought us by Jesus Christ our Lord.
2) GOSPEL READING - MARK 8,27-33
Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea
Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, 'Who do people say
I am?' And they told him, 'John the Baptist, others Elijah, others again, one
of the prophets.' 'But you,' he asked them, 'who do you say I am?' Peter spoke
up and said to him, 'You are the Christ.' And he gave them strict orders not to
tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of man was destined to suffer grievously, and to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again; and he said all this quite openly. Then, taking him aside, Peter tried to rebuke him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of man was destined to suffer grievously, and to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again; and he said all this quite openly. Then, taking him aside, Peter tried to rebuke him.
But, turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said
to him, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God thinks, but as human
beings do.'
3) REFLECTION
• Today’s Gospel speaks about Peter’s blindness who does not
understand the proposal of Jesus when he speaks about suffering and of the
Cross. Peter accepts Jesus as Messiah, but not a suffering Messiah. He is
influenced by the “yeast of Herod and the Pharisees”, that is, by the
propaganda of the government of that time in which the Messiah was a glorious
Messiah. Peter seemed to be blind. He was not aware of anything, but wanted
Jesus to be as he wished. To understand well the importance and weight of this
blindness of Peter it is well to consider it in its literary context.
• Literary context: The Gospel of Mark transmits to us three announcements of the Passion and death of Jesus: the first one in Mark 8, 27-38; the second one in Mark 9, 30-37 and the third one in Mark 10, 32-45. This whole which goes up to Mark 10, 45, is a long instruction of Jesus to the disciples to help them to overcome the crisis produced by the Cross. The instruction is introduced by the healing of a blind man (Mk 8, 22-26) and at the end it is concluded with the healing of another blind man (Mk 10, 46-52). The two blind persons represent the blindness of the disciples. The healing of the first blind man was difficult. Jesus had to do it in two stages. The blindness of the disciples was also difficult. Jesus had to give a long explanation concerning the meaning of the Cross to help them understand why the cross was producing blindness in them. Let us consider closely the healing of the blind man:
• Mark 8, 22-26: The first healing of a bland man. They took a blind man before Jesus, asking Jesus to cure him. Jesus cures him, but in a different way. First, he takes him outside the village. Then he put some of his saliva on the eyes of the blind man and, laid his hands on him and asked him: Can you see anything? The man answered: I see persons; they look like trees that walk! He could only see one part. He exchanged trees for persons, or persons for trees! Jesus cures him only in the second time. This description of the cure of the blind man introduces the instruction to the disciples, in reality the blind man is Peter. He accepted Jesus as the Messiah, but a glorious Messiah. He saw only one part! He did not want the commitment of the Cross! The blindness of the disciples is also cured by Jesus, in different stages, not all at once.
• Mark 8, 27-30: The discovery of reality: Who do people say I am? Jesus asks: “Who do people say I am?” They answered expressing the different opinions: “John the Baptist”. “Elijah or one of the Prophets”. After having heard the opinions of others, Jesus asks: “And you who do you say I am?” Peter answers: “The Lord, the Christ, the Messiah!” That is, the Lord is the one whom the people are expecting! Jesus agrees with Peter, but forbids him to speak about that with the people. Why? Because at that time all expected the coming of the Messiah, but each one in his own way: some expected the king, others the priest, doctor, warrior, judge, prophet! Nobody seemed to be expecting the Messiah, Servant and Suffering, announced by Isaiah (Is 42, 1-9).
• Mark 8, 31-33: First announcement of the Passion. Then Jesus began to teach saying that he is the Messiah Servant and affirms that, as Messiah Servant announced by Isaiah, he will soon be condemned to death in carrying out his mission of justice (Is 49, 4-9; 53, 1-12). Peter is horrified; he calls Jesus apart to rebuke him. And Jesus said to him: “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God thinks, but as human beings do.” Peter thought he had given the right answer. In fact, he had said the correct word: “You are the Christ!” But he does not give it the correct sense. Peter does not understand Jesus. He was like the blind man. He exchanged people for trees! The response of Jesus was very hard: “Get behind me, Satan!” Satan is a Hebrew word which means accuser, the one who leads others away from the way to God. Jesus does not allow anyone to lead him away from his mission. Literally the text says: “Get behind me, Satan!” Peter has to follow Jesus. He must not change things and intend that Jesus follows Peter.
• Literary context: The Gospel of Mark transmits to us three announcements of the Passion and death of Jesus: the first one in Mark 8, 27-38; the second one in Mark 9, 30-37 and the third one in Mark 10, 32-45. This whole which goes up to Mark 10, 45, is a long instruction of Jesus to the disciples to help them to overcome the crisis produced by the Cross. The instruction is introduced by the healing of a blind man (Mk 8, 22-26) and at the end it is concluded with the healing of another blind man (Mk 10, 46-52). The two blind persons represent the blindness of the disciples. The healing of the first blind man was difficult. Jesus had to do it in two stages. The blindness of the disciples was also difficult. Jesus had to give a long explanation concerning the meaning of the Cross to help them understand why the cross was producing blindness in them. Let us consider closely the healing of the blind man:
• Mark 8, 22-26: The first healing of a bland man. They took a blind man before Jesus, asking Jesus to cure him. Jesus cures him, but in a different way. First, he takes him outside the village. Then he put some of his saliva on the eyes of the blind man and, laid his hands on him and asked him: Can you see anything? The man answered: I see persons; they look like trees that walk! He could only see one part. He exchanged trees for persons, or persons for trees! Jesus cures him only in the second time. This description of the cure of the blind man introduces the instruction to the disciples, in reality the blind man is Peter. He accepted Jesus as the Messiah, but a glorious Messiah. He saw only one part! He did not want the commitment of the Cross! The blindness of the disciples is also cured by Jesus, in different stages, not all at once.
• Mark 8, 27-30: The discovery of reality: Who do people say I am? Jesus asks: “Who do people say I am?” They answered expressing the different opinions: “John the Baptist”. “Elijah or one of the Prophets”. After having heard the opinions of others, Jesus asks: “And you who do you say I am?” Peter answers: “The Lord, the Christ, the Messiah!” That is, the Lord is the one whom the people are expecting! Jesus agrees with Peter, but forbids him to speak about that with the people. Why? Because at that time all expected the coming of the Messiah, but each one in his own way: some expected the king, others the priest, doctor, warrior, judge, prophet! Nobody seemed to be expecting the Messiah, Servant and Suffering, announced by Isaiah (Is 42, 1-9).
• Mark 8, 31-33: First announcement of the Passion. Then Jesus began to teach saying that he is the Messiah Servant and affirms that, as Messiah Servant announced by Isaiah, he will soon be condemned to death in carrying out his mission of justice (Is 49, 4-9; 53, 1-12). Peter is horrified; he calls Jesus apart to rebuke him. And Jesus said to him: “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God thinks, but as human beings do.” Peter thought he had given the right answer. In fact, he had said the correct word: “You are the Christ!” But he does not give it the correct sense. Peter does not understand Jesus. He was like the blind man. He exchanged people for trees! The response of Jesus was very hard: “Get behind me, Satan!” Satan is a Hebrew word which means accuser, the one who leads others away from the way to God. Jesus does not allow anyone to lead him away from his mission. Literally the text says: “Get behind me, Satan!” Peter has to follow Jesus. He must not change things and intend that Jesus follows Peter.
4) FOR PERSONAL CONFRONTATION
• We all believe in Jesus. But some believe that Jesus is in one
way, others in another way. Which is today the most common image that people
have of Jesus? Which is the response which people today would give to Jesus’
question? And I, what answer do I give?
• What prevents us today from recognizing the Messiah in Jesus?
• What prevents us today from recognizing the Messiah in Jesus?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
I will praise Yahweh from my heart;
let the humble hear and rejoice.
Proclaim with me the greatness of Yahweh,
let us acclaim his name together. (Ps 34,2-3)
let the humble hear and rejoice.
Proclaim with me the greatness of Yahweh,
let us acclaim his name together. (Ps 34,2-3)
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