Friday, September 27, 2019 25th Week in Ordinary Time First Reading: Hg 2:1-9 Gospel Reading: Lk 9:18-22
One day when Jesus was praying alone, not far from his disciples, he asked them, “What do people say about me?” And they answered, “Some say that you are John the Baptist; others say that you are Elijah, and still others that you are one of the former prophets risen from the dead.” Again Jesus asked them, “Who then do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” Then Jesus spoke to them, giving them strict orders not to tell this to anyone. And he added, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the Law, and put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
When a consultant evaluates the business climate, he is doing environmental scanning. When a businessman evaluates the impact of his product on consumers, he is doing marketing. When a person sizes up his public image, he is either a politician or someone in showbiz. The common denominator is evaluation and sizing up.
Jesus did something similar. He gathered his followers to size up the impact of his missionary activities. The venue was significant. Caesarea Philippi was where people built edifices for different gods. It was like checking where he stood among the gods when he asked them about what outsiders thought of him. Peter told Jesus about what others thought of him. But more important to Jesus than the public’s opinion of him was how his disciples took him to be.
Peter’s answer was, “You are the Messiah of God”. The answer impressed Jesus but made him apprehensive as well. While Peter’s answer was correct his understanding of it was erroneous. He saw “Messiahship” from the perspective of the world. In fact, Peter instinctively dissuaded Jesus from going through his Passion and Death. Jesus rebuked him for this and told him, “Get behind me, Satan.” Satan means a stumbling block, and Peter was acting like one. He still acted this way at the Garden of Gethsemane when he drew his sword and cut the ear of one of the arresting soldiers in an attempt to abort Jesus’ capture.
Today Jesus also wants to evaluate what we think of him. We can be as quick as Peter was in giving the right answer because we know many things about Jesus. A scholar could readily come up with a full-blown dissertation. But that would be a mere academic defense. Catholic Faith Defenders could put up a public debate. But that would be mental calisthenics. Only an exhibit of the fruits of our spiritual journey with Jesus to Calvary would amount to worship – a step closer to salvation! –(Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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