Bound in Jesus

This Sunday's reflection on the Gospel of Matthew proclaimed by Msgr Jeremiah F. Kenney delivers the key to living a life we are intended to imitate says....."For Jesus, Calvery was more indurable than apathy.  Jesus tell us that unless we deny ourselves, take up our crosses everyday and follow him we can not be his disciples.  The disciple is someone who follows an imitation of the Master.  St. Paul tells us...have that bind in you that is of Christ Jesus, our Lord.  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Peter knew it, even though he tried to stop him, Jesus warned him, "My ways are not your ways Peter, get behind me" and we are either with the Lord or against Him.  That's the key to the whole thing of discipleship.  To be with Jesus to be his face so that others can see him with us, through us and in us.  It is essential that we are one with Jesus." (Msgr Jeremiah F. Kenney, Archdiocese of Baltimore; USCCB Video [Daily Reflections], Sunday, August 21, 2011 gospel reflection; http://old.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml)

 

Who do you say that I am?  This is the question Jesus asked the Disciples and is the same question he ask's us today.  The answers furnished by the diciples reveals to me that they too, although they walked with Jesus and followed him they too perhaps in some ways also had blinders on when it fully came to understanding the mystery of Jesus' divinity, of him being our Lord and Savior and exactly what that meant.  Today I find it is not much different.  Some refuse to believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  For me this is very hard to understand, since I believe with my whole heart and soul that Jesus is my Lord and Savior who was sent by God, who was the Word made flesh, sent to deliver God's children from the wages of sin and death.  For me it just is unfathomable that it is not recognized and most of all doubted in our own society today, which is why it is even more pivotal today that we who are baptized and confirmed live our lives as an imitation of Christ, that we live out what we truly believe to be the truth.  It is vitally important for the salvation of souls that those who are far away from Christ see the living Christ in us.  Are we with him?  Is he revealed in us and through us?  Is our mission to build up the Kingdom of God central to our lives and the lives of our neighbors?  Or are we against him, do we unbelieve that he is truly the Christ?  Is there doubt?  Jesus is very clear, if we are not with him we are against him and if we are against him we can not be his Disciples.  Are you one with Jesus?    

 

Mother Mary, most beloved Mother of God pray for me that today I will be a worthy disciple of your beloved Son, Jesus. May I be his eyes, lips, legs and hands in a world that is searching for peace, for joy, for love and mercy that only Jesus can give to me and to the those who are spiritually dead.  Help me in the times that I can not see and in the times that I doubt that Jesus is enough.  In Jesus Name, Amen.   

 

Matthew 16:13-20

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.