1st Reading – Isaiah 50:5-9A 5 The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.
6 I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.
7 The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let that man confront me.
9A See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?
Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 R. (9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia.
1 I love the LORD because he has heard my voice in supplication, 2 because he has inclined his ear to me the day I called. R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia.
3 The cords of death encompassed me; the snares of the netherworld seized upon me; 4 I fell into distress and sorrow, and I called upon the name of the LORD, “O LORD, save my life!” R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia.
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5 Gracious is the LORD and just; yes, our God is merciful. 6 The LORD keeps the little ones; I was brought low, and he saved me. R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia.
8 For he has freed my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. 9 I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living. R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia.
2nd Reading – James 2:14-18 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,
17 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, ” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
Alleluia – Galatians 6:14 R. Alleluia, alleluia. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel – Mark 8:27-35 27 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?”
28 They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”
29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.”
30 Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
31 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.
32 He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 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.”
34 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.
35 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.” Word of the Lord
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER These same questions are proposed to each of us today: “Who is Jesus for the people of our time?”, and more importantly: “Who is Jesus for each of us?”, for me, for you, for you, for you, and for you ...? Who is Jesus for each one of us? We are called to make Peter’s answer our own response, joyfully professing that Jesus is the Son of God, the Eternal Word of the Father, who became man to redeem mankind, pouring out the abundance of divine mercy upon it. (Angelus, 19 giugno 2016)
FAUSTI - "Who do men say I am?" "But you, who do you say I am?" Jesus asks the disciples and us. Before everyone asked themselves "Who is he?" Now He Himself asks: "Who am I for you?". Christianity is the answer to this question that He asks me. His provocation is also an examination of sight, to make us see that we need further new eyes. Faith cannot be delegated. Everyone is called to give his own answer, to know him, love him and follow him, even if still imperfectly. So far Jesus has fulfilled our desires, but almost only to entice us and dispose us to receive a gift that surpasses all our expectations. He has drawn us to Him because we trust Him. From now on he will begin to give us no more gifts. Our eye must pass from His empty hand to His Face, and penetrate into His Heart, the source of every gift. God is Love, and nothing else loves but to love and give Himself to the beloved. The second part of the Gospel will thus present him to us, and will culminate on the Cross, where he will fully accomplish the Revelation of Himself in the gift of Himself. Our risk is to remain closed in the first part, without ever knowing the Lord. In fact, we do not seek Him, but His gifts, and we identify Him with them, reducing Him to an idol, coat hanger of our desires or ghost of our fears. God's wisdom passes through poverty, humiliation and humility; it accepts suffering, repudiation and killing, and so overcomes the evil done by the wisdom of man, who seeks having, power and appearance, causing his own death and that of others. Peter, like all of us, remains closed in the thought of man. His clash with Jesus is violent. It will become ever tighter, until the final confrontation. The cross, made by us and carried by Him, remains the only possible place of encounter. The journey is slow and difficult, but safe and respectful. The "Word", denouncing our blindness more and more clearly, places us in the need to ask for light. This is our greatest gesture of freedom, with which we recognize the truth and put ourselves behind Jesus, always tempted, like Peter, to put ourselves before us. Jesus is the Pastor who, with His Cross, His staff, leads us to victory over evil and death. We follow Him as the Word that indicates the path of life, the cloud and the pillar of fire that leads from slavery to freedom. It is the Lord present in our midst. Love and obedience to Him is our salvation.
D. FREDO So God's plan for mankind, man reaching the fullness of the divine condition, this is the Son of Man, Son of Man is man having the divine condition, this is rejected by the religious institution which sees Him as a danger to its existence. "And after three days rise again. He made this speech openly. Peter seized him and began...." It is interesting that as Jesus began to speak, immediately Peter begins. It's the image of the seed being thrown on the ground and immediately, immediately, the birds come and take it. The ideology of Satan, of power, prevents Peter from accepting Jesus' message. "And he began to rebuke Him." As Jesus had rebuked Peter, so Peter rebukes Jesus, as if what Jesus said was a demonic idea. "But He, turning around, looking at His disciples" - so Jesus is looking at the disciples, but He is addressing to Peter, making it clear that the whole group maintains the same mindset as Peter - "rebuked Peter." Here the verb 'rebuke' is repeated for the third time. "And He said to him, "Go after me, Satan!" Jesus addresses Peter by calling him 'Satan'. He is the Satan because he tempts Jesus, tempts Jesus by calling Him ' the Messiah of power', and he is the Satan because he thwarts the word. The word is cast, but immediately the Satan comes. So Jesus addresses Satan, but does not break with him. He tells him 'go back and get you after Me'. It is Peter who must follow Jesus, not the the contrary. And then Jesus "summoned the crowd", gives a dramatic announcement "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself" - that is, let him deny these ideals of success and power, "and lift up the cross". The cross is not given by the Lord, the cross is not taken up, the cross is lifted up. It is the individual who voluntarily, in order to follow Jesus, accepts the stigma of infamy from society: he is one who does not fall in line in any situation. To the disciples who follow the Messiah cultivating dreams of glory, Jesus says that, if they want to follow Him, they must accept to be considered "society's trash" like Him who ended up among the criminals.
1st Reading – Isaiah 50:5-9A
RispondiElimina5 The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.
6 I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.
7 The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let that man confront me.
9A See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?
Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
1 I love the LORD because he has heard
my voice in supplication,
2 because he has inclined his ear to me
the day I called.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
3 The cords of death encompassed me;
the snares of the netherworld seized upon me;
4 I fell into distress and sorrow,
and I called upon the name of the LORD,
“O LORD, save my life!”
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Send this special Miracle Healing Prayer to your friends and loved ones (WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter)
Healing Prayer
5 Gracious is the LORD and just;
yes, our God is merciful.
6 The LORD keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
8 For he has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
9 I shall walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
2nd Reading – James 2:14-18
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,
17 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, ” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
Alleluia – Galatians 6:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord
through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel – Mark 8:27-35
27 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?”
28 They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”
29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.”
30 Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
31 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.
32 He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 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.”
34 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.
35 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.”
Word of the Lord
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
RispondiEliminaThese same questions are proposed to each of us today: “Who is Jesus for the people of our time?”, and more importantly: “Who is Jesus for each of us?”, for me, for you, for you, for you, and for you ...? Who is Jesus for each one of us? We are called to make Peter’s answer our own response, joyfully professing that Jesus is the Son of God, the Eternal Word of the Father, who became man to redeem mankind, pouring out the abundance of divine mercy upon it. (Angelus, 19 giugno 2016)
FAUSTI - "Who do men say I am?"
RispondiElimina"But you, who do you say I am?" Jesus asks the disciples and us.
Before everyone asked themselves "Who is he?"
Now He Himself asks: "Who am I for you?".
Christianity is the answer to this question that He asks me.
His provocation is also an examination of sight, to make us see that we need further new eyes. Faith cannot be delegated. Everyone is called to give his own answer, to know him, love him and follow him, even if still imperfectly.
So far Jesus has fulfilled our desires, but almost only to entice us and dispose us to receive a gift that surpasses all our expectations. He has drawn us to Him because we trust Him.
From now on he will begin to give us no more gifts.
Our eye must pass from His empty hand to His Face, and penetrate into His Heart, the source of every gift. God is Love, and nothing else loves but to love and give Himself to the beloved.
The second part of the Gospel will thus present him to us, and will culminate on the Cross, where he will fully accomplish the Revelation of Himself in the gift of Himself.
Our risk is to remain closed in the first part, without ever knowing the Lord.
In fact, we do not seek Him, but His gifts, and we identify Him with them, reducing Him to an idol, coat hanger of our desires or ghost of our fears.
God's wisdom passes through poverty, humiliation and humility; it accepts suffering, repudiation and killing, and so overcomes the evil done by the wisdom of man, who seeks having, power and appearance, causing his own death and that of others.
Peter, like all of us, remains closed in the thought of man.
His clash with Jesus is violent. It will become ever tighter, until the final confrontation.
The cross, made by us and carried by Him, remains the only possible place of encounter.
The journey is slow and difficult, but safe and respectful.
The "Word", denouncing our blindness more and more clearly, places us in the need to ask for light.
This is our greatest gesture of freedom, with which we recognize the truth and put ourselves behind Jesus, always tempted, like Peter, to put ourselves before us.
Jesus is the Pastor who, with His Cross, His staff, leads us to victory over evil and death.
We follow Him as the Word that indicates the path of life, the cloud and the pillar of fire that leads from slavery to freedom. It is the Lord present in our midst.
Love and obedience to Him is our salvation.
D. FREDO So God's plan for mankind, man reaching the fullness of the divine condition, this is the Son of Man, Son of Man is man having the divine condition, this is rejected by the religious institution which sees Him as a danger to its existence. "And after three days rise again. He made this speech openly. Peter seized him and began...." It is interesting that as Jesus began to speak, immediately Peter begins. It's the image of the seed being thrown on the ground and immediately, immediately, the birds come and take it. The ideology of Satan, of power, prevents Peter from accepting Jesus' message. "And he began to rebuke Him." As Jesus had rebuked Peter, so Peter rebukes Jesus, as if what Jesus said was a demonic idea. "But He, turning around, looking at His disciples" - so Jesus is looking at the disciples, but He is addressing to Peter, making it clear that the whole group maintains the same mindset as Peter - "rebuked Peter." Here the verb 'rebuke' is repeated for the third time. "And He said to him, "Go after me, Satan!" Jesus addresses Peter by calling him 'Satan'. He is the Satan because he tempts Jesus, tempts Jesus by calling Him ' the Messiah of power', and he is the Satan because he thwarts the word. The word is cast, but immediately the Satan comes. So Jesus addresses Satan, but does not break with him. He tells him 'go back and get you after Me'. It is Peter who must follow Jesus, not the the contrary.
RispondiEliminaAnd then Jesus "summoned the crowd", gives a dramatic announcement "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself" - that is, let him deny these ideals of success and power, "and lift up the cross". The cross is not given by the Lord, the cross is not taken up, the cross is lifted up.
It is the individual who voluntarily, in order to follow Jesus, accepts the stigma of infamy from society: he is one who does not fall in line in any situation. To the disciples who follow the Messiah cultivating dreams of glory, Jesus says that, if they want to follow Him, they must accept to be considered "society's trash" like Him who ended up among the criminals.