September 16, 2018

Gospel: Mk 8:27-35
Jesus set out with his disciples for the villages around Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” And they told him, “Some say, you are John the Baptist; others say, you are Elijah or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” And he ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law. He would be killed, and after three days rise again. Jesus said all this quite openly, so that Peter took him aside and began to protest strongly. But Jesus, turning around, and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God does, but as people do.” Then Jesus called the people and his disciples, and said, “If you want to follow me, deny yourself; take up your cross and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, you will save it.”

Lectio Divina
Read: Translating our faith into concrete action will invite rejection, persecution, and suffering as the world prefers its own ignorance and selfish ways. Living the life of a prophet would mean thinking like God does, which necessarily invites conflict with the ways of the world. Jesus, being the Messiah, was no exception to this.
Reflect: What does it mean “to think like God does”? Who knows the mind of God except the Spirit that searches the depths of God? Are we capable of knowing the thoughts of God, let alone think like He does? Well, being finite human beings, we are unable to grasp the thoughts of God, but thanks to the life of Christ, we can perceive the deeds of God, deeds marked with compassion, love, forgiveness, and letting others be; and we can then work backwards: by doing what Christ did, we will appropriate the thoughts of God. James would wholeheartedly agree.
Pray: Let us pray for the grace to have our thoughts and deeds aligned with those of God.
Act: List out three actions to do this week, actions that would reflect the thoughts of God.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018