Daily Reflection – June 19, 2016

Sunday 19 June 2016

First Reading: Zechariah 12:10-11; 13:1
Responsorial Psalm:
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God
Psalm 62(63):2-6, 8-9
Second Reading: Galatians 3:26-29
Gospel Reading: Luke 9:18-24

Today’s Note: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Reading:

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.”

Reflection:

Follow me. (Luke 9:23)

Did you ever go off on adventures when you were a child? Perhaps you journeyed into the woods behind your home or explored an old abandoned building, wondering where all the rooms and staircases would take you. Adventures like these can be fun, even for grown-ups!

Another thrilling adventure is the one that unfolds as we follow Jesus. You never know where he will take you!

We see this in today’s Gospel, when Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” “The Christ of God,” Peter replies (Luke 9:20). Then Jesus goes on to predict his passion and tell the disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. A whole new chapter in Peter’s adventure has begun: the way of the cross. Surely he wondered what else lay ahead for him.

We know that following Jesus led Peter to a life that he could not have imagined: from being a humble fisherman to becoming the rock on which Jesus built his Church. But Peter didn’t know all of this when he began. And it certainly didn’t happen overnight. Still, Peter put his faith in Jesus, and while this meant letting go of some of his own plans along the way, he continued to take each new step because he trusted Jesus.

Jesus won’t necessarily ask you to leave your family or your job as he asked Peter to. But he does want to be your Savior and Lord. Like Peter’s, your adventure is sure to be filled with twists and turns. You’ve probably encountered some already, in fact, and learned that you don’t have to be afraid. Keep that lesson in your mind the next time you face a new twist. Jesus is always by your side. He is always inviting you to trust him and follow him. He will never let you down!

“Jesus, thank you for calling me to follow you. Help me to hear and do all that you ask, today and always.”