24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green)
Ps 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
1st Reading: Is 50:5-9a
The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear. I have not rebelled, nor have I withdrawn.
I offered my back to those who strike me, my cheeks to those who pulled my beard; neither did I shield my face from blows, spittle and disgrace.
I have not despaired, for the Lord Yahweh comes to my help. So, like a flint I set my face, knowing that I will not be disgraced.
He who avenges me is near. Who then will accuse me? Let us confront each other. Who is now my accuser? Let him approach. If the Lord Yahweh is my help, who will condemn me?
All of them will wear out like cloth; the moth will devour them.
2nd Reading: Jas 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, to profess faith, without showing works? Such faith has no power to save you. If a brother or sister is in need of clothes or food, and one of you says, “May things go well for you; be warm and satisfied,” without attending to their material needs, what good is that? So, it is, for faith without deeds: it is totally dead.
Say to whoever challenges you, “You have faith and I have good deeds; show me your faith apart from actions and I, for my part, will show you my faith in the way I act.”
Gospel: Mk 8:27-35
Jesus set out with his disciples for the villages around Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” And they told him, “Some say, you are John the Baptist; others say, you are Elijah or one of the prophets.”
Then Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” And he ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law. He would be killed, and after three days rise again. Jesus said all this quite openly, so that Peter took him aside and began to protest strongly. But Jesus, turning around, and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God does, but as people do.”
Then Jesus called the people and his disciples, and said, “If you want to follow me, deny yourself; take up your cross and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, you will save it.“+
Lectio Divina
Read: Translating our faith into concrete action will invite rejection, persecution, and suffering as the world prefers its own ignorance and selfish ways. Living the life of a prophet would mean thinking like God does, which necessarily invites conflict with the ways of the world. Jesus, being the Messiah, was no exception to this.
Reflect: What does it mean “to think like God does”? Who knows the mind of God except the Spirit that searches the depths of God? Are we capable of knowing the thoughts of God, let alone think like He does? Well, being finite human beings, we are unable to grasp the thoughts of God, but thanks to the life of Christ, we can perceive the deeds of God, deeds marked with compassion, love, forgiveness, and letting others be; and we can then work backwards: by doing what Christ did, we will appropriate the thoughts of God. James would wholeheartedly agree.
Pray: Let us pray for the grace to have our thoughts and deeds aligned with those of God.
Act: List out three actions to do this week, actions that would reflect the thoughts of God.
Daily Reflection 2018
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
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