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.
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.
"My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me" (Jn 10:27)
These words from today's verse before the Gospel tell us that we have a shepherd who knows each of us and whom we must obey and follow. But we focus our reflection today on Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus knows us, but do we know Him, whom we follow? Certainly, we cannot be followers of someone we don't know. And if we do not know Jesus, we cannot claim to be Christians.
Peter hits the jackpot when he answers that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah of God. Jesus was the savior that the Israelites have been waiting for. This was a moment of revelation for the Apostles. Jesus revealed His identity as the Messiah. The one they have been following is the Messiah.
But Jesus had to explain to them that He is not the Messiah that Israel was expecting. He was not a political figure who would free Israel from colonizers. He was not an earthly monarch. His glory does not come from pomp and power. His moment of glory is His suffering, death and resurrection. His way is not of the scepter; His is the way of the cross.
This revelation, assuming that the apostles fully understood it, comes as a shock. How could the Messiah die such a cruel death? Even the Gentiles who hears the story after Jesus' Ascension were shocked. How could God die? Why would God choose to suffer? Of course, today, we understand that Jesus' suffering and death is the redemption that God had planned, in His wisdom.
Jesus tells His disciples, and also all of us, that since we choose to follow Him, we must also learn to accept suffering and to see suffering in a new light. Taking up our crosses means that we must live according to the example of Jesus, being good Christians and taking the path that God has set for us. Doing this, we will certainly face a lot of challenges. But that is why it is called a cross. It may be difficult to bear, but we must do it out of love for God.
Jesus' mission on earth was fulfilled in His death and resurrection. We, on the other hand, are not all called to die for others or for our faith. But all of us, being Christians, are called to live for God and for others. We must "lose" the life we want to live and live instead as God wants us to live. In fact, we must let Christ live in us.
Following Christ entails sacrifice because He whom we follow has also sacrificed Himself for our salvation. We must learn from Him and imitate Him who carried His cross. We must carry our own crosses. The only way to life with God is the way of the cross.
These words from today's verse before the Gospel tell us that we have a shepherd who knows each of us and whom we must obey and follow. But we focus our reflection today on Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus knows us, but do we know Him, whom we follow? Certainly, we cannot be followers of someone we don't know. And if we do not know Jesus, we cannot claim to be Christians.
Peter hits the jackpot when he answers that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah of God. Jesus was the savior that the Israelites have been waiting for. This was a moment of revelation for the Apostles. Jesus revealed His identity as the Messiah. The one they have been following is the Messiah.
But Jesus had to explain to them that He is not the Messiah that Israel was expecting. He was not a political figure who would free Israel from colonizers. He was not an earthly monarch. His glory does not come from pomp and power. His moment of glory is His suffering, death and resurrection. His way is not of the scepter; His is the way of the cross.
This revelation, assuming that the apostles fully understood it, comes as a shock. How could the Messiah die such a cruel death? Even the Gentiles who hears the story after Jesus' Ascension were shocked. How could God die? Why would God choose to suffer? Of course, today, we understand that Jesus' suffering and death is the redemption that God had planned, in His wisdom.
Jesus tells His disciples, and also all of us, that since we choose to follow Him, we must also learn to accept suffering and to see suffering in a new light. Taking up our crosses means that we must live according to the example of Jesus, being good Christians and taking the path that God has set for us. Doing this, we will certainly face a lot of challenges. But that is why it is called a cross. It may be difficult to bear, but we must do it out of love for God.
Jesus' mission on earth was fulfilled in His death and resurrection. We, on the other hand, are not all called to die for others or for our faith. But all of us, being Christians, are called to live for God and for others. We must "lose" the life we want to live and live instead as God wants us to live. In fact, we must let Christ live in us.
Following Christ entails sacrifice because He whom we follow has also sacrificed Himself for our salvation. We must learn from Him and imitate Him who carried His cross. We must carry our own crosses. The only way to life with God is the way of the cross.
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