First reading Haggai 1:15-2:9
‘The new glory of this Temple is to surpass the old’
In the second year of King Darius, on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord was addressed through the prophet Haggai, as follows, ‘You are to speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the high commissioner of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people. Say this, “Who is there left among you that saw this Temple in its former glory? And how does it look to you now? Does it seem nothing to you? But take courage now, Zerubbabel – it is the Lord who speaks. Courage, High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak! Courage, all you people of the country! – it is the Lord who speaks. To work! I am with you – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks – and my spirit remains among you. Do not be afraid! For the Lord of Hosts says this: A little while now, and I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations and the treasures of all the nations shall flow in, and I will fill this Temple with glory, says the Lord of Hosts. Mine is the silver, mine the gold! – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks. The new glory of this Temple is going to surpass the old, says the Lord of Hosts, and in this place I will give peace – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks.”’
Responsorial Psalm 42(43):1-4
Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.
Defend me, O God, and plead my cause
against a godless nation.
From deceitful and cunning men
rescue me, O God.
Since you, O God, are my stronghold,
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning
oppressed by the foe?
O send forth your light and your truth;
let these be my guide.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
And I will come to the altar of God,
the God of my joy.
My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,
O God, my God.
Gospel Luke 9:18-22
‘You are the Christ of God’
One day when Jesus was praying alone in the presence of his disciples he put this question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist; others Elijah; and others say one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ It was Peter who spoke up. ‘The Christ of God’ he said. But he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this.
‘The Son of Man’ he said ‘is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’
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Following Jesus
The gospel passage today marks a significant turning point in what it means to follow Jesus. He states, “The Son of Man is destined to suffer greatly, to be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, to be put to death, and to be raised on the third day.” In this statement, Jesus emphasises the necessity of enduring rejection, suffering, death, and ultimately, resurrection. He understands that His disciples view the Messiah as someone who will liberate Israel from Roman rule. However, that is not the type of Messiah Jesus is. His path involves taking up the cross.
Jesus wants everyone who follows Him to understand the cost of discipleship. They must follow the path of the cross, committing to die to themselves and live for Him. Today, as His disciples, our lives should no longer revolve around what we want, but rather what Jesus wants for us. This can be challenging because we often want Jesus to align with our own plans, comforts and ambitions. Instead, we are called to follow Him where He leads us, even if it means walking the uncomfortable path of the cross, which ultimately leads us to fullness of life.
Reflective question:
How is Jesus calling me to follow Him?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
