Sunday, September 13 – Do not live according to the schemes of the world.

 

Preparatory Prayer (to put myself in God’s presence)

Lord, selfishness, pride, and arrogance dominate me. I easily find myself wrapped up in myself, in my point of view, my desires, and my whims. I seek the first place and do not care much about others. Help me to have more control over these terrible faults so that I can start doing something today to counteract my negative attitudes. May this prayer give me the courage to face them; with your grace, I know I can improve.

Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)

From the holy Gospel according to Mark 8:27-35

At that time, Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way, he asked them this question: “Who do people say I am?” They answered him: “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

Then he asked them: “But who do you say I am?” Peter answered him: “You are the Messiah.” And he ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to explain to them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer much, to be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, to be handed over to death, and to rise on the third day.

He said all this very clearly. Then Peter took him aside and tried to dissuade him. Jesus turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts.”

Afterward, he called the crowd and his disciples and said to them: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the Gospel will save it.”

Word of the Lord.

 

Reflect on what God tells you in the Gospel (we suggest you read what the Pope said about this).

“Today we arrive at the crucial point where Jesus, after verifying that Peter and the other eleven had believed in Him as the Messiah and Son of God, ‘began to explain to them that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer there a lot… and that he had to be executed and rise on the third day.’ It is a critical moment in which the contrast between Jesus’ way of thinking and that of the disciples emerges. Peter, in fact, feels it his duty to rebuke the Master because he cannot attribute such a dishonorable end to the Messiah. Then Jesus, in turn, rebukes Peter harshly, marking the line because he does not think ‘according to God but according to men,’ and without realizing it, he plays the part of Satan, the tempter.

The apostle Paul also insists on this point, writing to the Christians in Rome: ‘Do not conform yourselves to this world, do not follow the schemes of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God.’” (Pope Francis, Angelus, August 31, 2014).

 

Dialogue with Christ

This is the most important part of your prayer; prepare to speak with much love to the One who loves you.

Purpose

Set a personal goal, what? The one that involves the most love… or, if you believe it is what God is asking of you, live what is suggested below.

Even if I receive criticism or rejection, I will insist that we go, as a family, to the celebration of the Eucharist.

 

“Do you know what the first temptation that the devil presents to a person who has begun to serve God better is? It is human respect.”

(St. John Vianney, Sermon on Temptations)