Luke 9:18-22

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

Psalm 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4

Luke 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,

and the disciples were with him,

he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;

still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”

Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”

He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly

and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, Creator of all things, grant me a deep knowledge of your works and your plan of salvation. Help me to know my part and enlighten my mind to know how I can help my family, my friends, and the members of my community to know you better and love you more deeply.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Who Has Authority over Life and Death? The author of the Book of Ecclesiastes, known as Qoheleth or the Preacher, contemplates the question of the meaning of life. He ponders why human beings toil endlessly on earth for minimal gain. When a person dies the fruits of their labor merely pass to another. The Preacher teaches that the pleasures of the world do not truly fulfill us and that wealth does not bring us ultimate satisfaction. The Preacher also notes that we have no control over the timing of the end of our earthly life. “Unlike God, who appoints times of prosperity and adversity (7:14), man has no ‘authority over the day of death’ (8:8). The best he can do, says Qoheleth, is to enjoy the good things in life as much as his circumstances allow (2:24; 3:12, 22; 8:15)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, 66).

2. God’s Plan for Creation: Qoheleth sees God as the Creator who determines all times and seasons of life (3:1-8). God's creation is beautiful and good, and, in this creation, man has a special place, for man desires something that goes beyond this life. God has placed this desire for eternity in man’s heart. No creature can satisfy us; only God can: The Lord has made us for himself and our hearts are restless until they rest in him. The gift of the desire for eternity does not include with it the gift of fully understanding God’s plan for each one of us. The latter is something that we discern little by little through the virtue of faith and the gifts of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. In this life, we really only catch a glimpse of God’s plan for creation; in the next life, we will see everything in God himself. We will see his goodness, justice, love, and mercy. We will see how he has acted in history and our lives.

3. Faith in Jesus as the Christ: In the Gospel, Simon Peter does not come to the knowledge of Jesus as the Christ on his own. It was revealed to him by God. Peter’s confession of faith is an important step in understanding God’s plan for humankind. Peter is confessing that God the Father has sent his only begotten Son as the Redeemer of man. At the same time, Peter will struggle to understand that Jesus redeems us through the Cross, through suffering, through death. After the Resurrection, Peter will confess not only his faith in Jesus but also his love for Jesus. One day, he will testify to Christ through his martyrdom in Rome. He will tell the entire world through his death that Jesus is the Christ, the one who saves us and raises us up. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. You were slain, yet rose victorious and have been enthroned at the right hand of the Father. Help me to live my baptismal vocation as a priest, prophet, and king today.

Living the Word of God: Today’s readings invite me to contemplate not only God’s work of creation and my call to eternal life but also God’s work of redemption and the call to follow Christ on the way to Jerusalem. We learn that the way to the resurrection of life passes through the suffering of the cross. We are led on that path by God, who governs all things according to his providential plan. Can I spend time in prayer contemplating how God has acted in my life today? Am I grateful for all that God has done?