First Reading Isaiah 50:5-9a
The suffering servant of Yahweh is assured of God’s help.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:1-2,3-4,5-6,8-9
A prayer of praise to God for his salvation
Second Reading James 2:14-18
James teaches that faith must be demonstrated in one’s works.
Gospel Reading
Mark 8:27-35
Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus teaches that those who would follow him must take up his or her cross.
Background on the Gospel Reading
Today’s reading is the turning point in Mark’s Gospel. In the presentation of the life and ministry of Jesus found in the Gospel of Mark, the deeds of Jesus have shown Jesus to be the Son of God. Yet many, including Jesus’ disciples, have not yet realized his identity. In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks the disciples for a field report by asking what others say about him. He then turns the question directly to the disciples and asks what they believe. Peter speaks for all of them when he announces that they believe Jesus to be the Christ.
The word Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah, which means “the anointed one.” At the time of Jesus, the image of the Messiah was laden with popular expectations, most of which looked for a political leader who would free the Jewish people from Roman occupation. Jesus does not appear to have used this term for himself. As we see in today’s reading, Jesus refers to himself instead as the Son of Man, a term derived from the Jewish Scriptures, found in the Book of Daniel and in other apocryphal writings. Many scholars suggest that the phrase Son of Man is best understood to mean “human being.”
Now that the disciples have acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, Jesus confides in them the outcome of his ministry: he will be rejected, must suffer and die, and will rise after three days. Peter rejects this prediction, and Jesus rebukes him severely. The image of Christ that Jesus is giving is not the image of the Messiah that Peter was expecting. Jesus then teaches the crowd and the disciples about the path of discipleship: To be Chris’s disciple is to follow in the way of the cross.
We can easily miss the fear that Jesus’ words must have evoked in his disciples. Death by crucifixion was all too familiar as a method of execution in Roman-occupied territories. It was also an omnipresent danger to the Christian community for whom Mark wrote. The path that Jesus was inviting his disciples to share meant tremendous suffering and death. This is the kind of radical commitment and sacrifice that Jesus calls us to adopt for the sake of the Gospel.
May 31 - The Solemnity of Pentecost: Transformation
May 24 - Ascension of the Lord : Call to be witnesses
May 17 - Sixth Sunday of Easter: An invitation to love
May 10 - Fifth Sunday in Easter : Jesus is the Way
May 3 - Fourth Sunday in Easter : I am the Gate
April 26 - Third Sunday in Easter : God who walks with us
April 19 - 2nd Sunday in Easter : The Doubting Thomas
April 12 – Easter : New Life in Christ
April 10 - Good Friday : Cross - the sign of God's love
April 9 - Holy Thursday : Divine Surrender
April 5 - Passion Sunday : Marching with Jesus
March 29 - Fifth Sunday in Lent : He is our Life
March 22 - Fourth Sunday in Lent : Spiritual Blindness
March 15 - Third Sunday in Lent : Living Water
March 8 - Second Sunday in Lent : Transfiguration
March 1 - First Sunday in Lent: Overcoming Temptation
February 23 :
February 16 :
February 9:
February 2 :
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Hello Heaven Podcast
Cast The Word
Let Me Be Frank | Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Podcast | Diocese of Bridgeport, CT
The Kingdom Power Fellowship Podcast
The Bible Recap
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)