12nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Zechariah 12:10-11,13:1 II: Galatians 3:26-29


Gospel
Luke 9:18-24

18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?"
19 And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say, Eli'jah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen."
20 And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God."
21 But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one,
22 saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."
23 And he said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.


Interesting Details
One Main Point

Confessing that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of the living God is an important turning point for discipleship. Only with that grace that we can deny ourselves and carry our own apostolic cross. Jesus invites each one of us to carry the cross.


Reflections
  1. Write down the first thought that you have as an answer to this question: Perhaps you have recited so many times the Creed of the Apostles (or the Nicence Creed), for you who is Jesus?
  2. Right after the confession of Peter about Jesus, He predicted for the first time His passion, His death on the cross. Within this pretext, reflect on Jesus' mission and your own mission. Does your mission also follow the way of the cross as Jesus' did? As Jesus said to Peter that it was the grace of God the Father that revealed to him the true mission of Jesus, pray for the grace to discern your mission in the will of God the Father.
  3. Now, with a better concept about the mission of Jesus and yours, let us go back to the first question and re-examine your confession about Jesus. Listen to the words that Jesus reveals in your heart: who do you believe that I am? How would your heart answer to Jesus' invitation: Carry your cross and walk with me.

Enter Reader's Response or View Reader's Response this week
A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community