Thursday of the Eighteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Lectio

    Matthew 16:13–23

Meditatio

“… who do you say that I am?”

    Jesus asks a penetrating question: “Who do you say that I am?” It may seem like an easy question, and we answer enthusiastically with Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But when we let Jesus’ words permeate into the deepest core of our being, we realize that Jesus is asking about more than the words we say. He is asking about the message we speak with our lives. We declare with our lips that Jesus is Lord, but do we let him rule in every area of our lives? Do we obey, not only his commandments, but the inspirations to do good and avoid whatever would take us farther from him, even in small things? Or do we sometimes follow the voice of our modern culture more easily than that of Jesus?

    It is so easy to let the world’s voice drown out the Master’s voice. Even Peter falters when Jesus speaks of his coming passion and death. “God forbid, Lord!” he exclaims. Peter had been open to the revelation of Christ’s divinity, but he is closed to the revelation of his suffering. Jesus had also just said that he would rise on the third day, but Peter doesn’t hear or understand that part. Because of his fear, Peter can’t see ahead to Christ’s promise of victory over death. It is so easy to be deceived by the voice of the world, urging us to follow the safer, more convenient path. It is so easy to take our eyes off Jesus and start to reason humanly. It is easy to follow Jesus in good times, but when suffering comes, we need to trust that Jesus will lead us through it to eternal joy in his kingdom. Despite Peter’s faults, Jesus never took back his choice of Peter as head of his Church. This gives us reason to hope in the mercy of God.

Oratio

    Lord, I believe that you are the Son of God. You are my life and my hope. I place my life entirely into your hands—past, present, and future. Let me see with your eyes and love with your heart. Let me follow your holy inspirations in all I do. Let my actions be consistent with the words I speak. Give me the grace to resist temptations and the allurements of this world and to never take my gaze from you.

Contemplatio

    “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28)

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ORDINARY GRACE Weeks 18–34: Daily Gospel Reflections (By the Daughters of St. Paul)