Declaring Jesus the Lord of our life is easier than imitating him. Ian Peoples, SJ, reflects on how our actions must reflect the Gospel we proclaim. Based on the readings from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Who is Jesus for you?
Hi, I’m Ian Peoples, and this is my one-minute reflection.
In today’s gospel, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that I am? Who do you say that I am?” Jesus asks this question of all of us.
The response we give to such a question cannot be in words only. The letter of James tells us that what we do is just as important, if not more important, than what we say. Faith without works is dead.
In the Gospel, we witness the powerful moment when Peter declares Jesus the Christ. However, when Jesus speaks of the suffering that Christ must endure, Peter tries to dissuade him.
Jesus rebukes Peter saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God does but as human beings do.”
It may seem easy to declare Christ the Lord of our life. Yet, this declaration of faith requires that we submit our memory, understanding, and entire will to him. In Jesus’s words, “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.”
