“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.”

READ: Jesus and his disciples were in the area of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus asked them
what people said about him. His disciples told him that some people claimed he was John
the Baptist; some, that he was Elijah, while others said he was one of the prophets. Jesus
also asked his disciples what they said about him. Peter identified Jesus to be the Messiah.
Afterwards, Jesus told them that he had to suffer and be rejected. He would be killed.
After three days he would rise again. Upon hearing what Jesus said, Peter protested.
Jesus rebuked Peter, telling Peter to get behind him. Jesus taught them to deny themselves
should they want to follow him. And should they want to save their lives, they must lose them
for the sake of Jesus and of the gospel.

REFLECT: Losing one’s life for Jesus’ sake and for the gospel is the way to salvation. We are
first and foremost recipients of God’s saving act. Furthermore, God also calls us to become his
partners as he himself continues carrying out his work of salvation in today’s world. When we
accept God’s offer to become his partners, chances could be that we lose our own life. However,
this kind of losing our life is akin to Jesus’ way of offering his life. It is salvific.

PRAY: Let us pray that we may become God’s partners in bringing salvation in the world today.

ACT: Spend time to do an act of charity today like feeding a hungry street child or visiting
a sick person.

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