In today's Gospel, Peter acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus teaches the disciples that to follow him they must be prepared to take up their own crosses.
Holy Spirit, fill my heart and illuminate my mind. Help me to hear and understand God's message today. Help me to recognize when God is trying to speak to me in my daily life. Amen
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.”
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfxgOS-zJyA (Credit to Catholic Kids Media)
Ask: What did Jesus ask his disciples at the beginning of today’s Gospel? (He asked what people were saying about him.) What did Peter answer when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought that he was? (Peter said that Jesus was the Christ) Say: In saying this, Peter acknowledged that he believed that Jesus was sent by God to save his people. This must have sounded pretty good to the disciples.
What does Jesus tell his disciples next? (that he was going to suffer and die) What does Peter do? (Peter objects to what Jesus has said and rebukes him.) How does Jesus respond? (He tells Peter that he doesn’t understand and that he is not thinking like God.) Then what does Jesus tell his disciples? (Jesus says that anyone who wants to be his disciple must follow his example by denying oneself and taking up one’s cross.)
Say: Peter didn’t want to hear this part of the Good News of Jesus. But Jesus said that we have to accept all of it to be his followers, both the cross and the glory of the Resurrection. Jesus set an example for all his disciples to follow. He loved us so much that he was willing to suffer and die for us.
Ask: Who are some people in our world today who serve others? (Accept all reasonable answers.) These people can also be examples for us. Jesus also wants us to offer our lives in service to others.
Conclude in prayer together that we will be good followers of Jesus. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer or the Prayer for Vocations.
Father in heaven, for the conversion of sinners, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
