22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 30th August 2020
Gospel Matthew 16: 21–27
Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. ‘Heaven preserve you, Lord,’ he said. ‘This must not happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’
Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let them renounce themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save their life will lose it; but anyone who loses their life for my sake will find it. What, then, will someone gain if they win the whole world and ruin their life? Or what has someone to offer in exchange for their life?
‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to their behaviour.’
Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach
As always I come gently to my prayer, taking the time to relax my body and mind so that I can be fully present to my God.
What grace do I wish for today?
When I am ready, I take up the Gospel text, reading it slowly a couple of times.
Perhaps I can be present to Jesus, who having faced opposition, is now contemplating his journey to Jerusalem. As he shares this with his disciples, do I consider how he feels ... ? Or am I a disciple in denial?
Perhaps, like Peter, I rush to remonstrate rather than reflect upon Jesus’s words? In what way do I want to please rather than ponder more demanding truths?
In my own life, what things have I lost by holding onto them too tightly?
I turn to the Lord, asking him to enable me – with him alongside – to look clearly and peacefully at my life.
I end with gratitude for the human example Jesus has set in accepting his cross.
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