Gospel Reflection Sept 15 – Fr. Lynch
Sunday, September 15
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 8: 27-35
Gospel:
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Gospel Reflection:
“To reveal”, is to make known. God the Father sent His only Son to reveal to us His unconditional love, “a love which is beyond all telling.” Before we had this precious gift, our Lord chose to reveal to his Apostles first, who He was, is, and will always be. The Apostles were slow learners, often taking one step forward and two steps back.
The difference for the Apostles and us is simply this: once we surrender to God’s love we are changed. Change is constant, and change is what people fear most. Our ability to adapt and to adjust takes work. When we experience Christ’s exponential love in our lives we experience the love of the Father; when we experience the Love of the Father through His Son we are changed by Him, with Him, and through Him.
The only obstacle that separates us from the Love of God is ourselves when we sin which manifests itself in many and various ways. What is a sin? A sin is an offense against God, your neighbor, or yourself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that for a sin to be a sin you must know that it is wrong and then still choose to do it. There are two types of sins, venial and mortal. A venial sin is a minor offense, and a mortal sin is a major offense. It is important for us to receive grace and reconciliation for all sins; however, the difference in committing a mortal sin is that it completely separates us from God. If we die in the state of mortal sin we go to hell, if we die with venial sin, we go to purgatory to have those minor sins “purged” out of our souls to be completely pure and presentable to God for all eternity.
Ultimately Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father (which we profess at every Sunday Mass during the Creed) to judge us. Every time we come to Jesus in the sacrament of Confession, He makes us whole again, he frees us and our souls from the stains of sin. So why are YOU not coming to receive that forgiveness? You might think that you do not have any sins to confess. This may be true, but if that is the case, come see me because that means you are a living Saint. You may think you are not worthy, none of us are, but Jesus makes us so. Praise God! I have never met a person yet who has come to receive the sacrament that has not left feeling better; some have even described it as spiritual chains that have bound them being lifted off of themselves.
The Apostles teach us all that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future, just look at Peter as a primary example. One moment Peter is saying divine things which even He cannot fully comprehend, and then in the next moment He is being rebuked by Christ himself for the opposite; yet Peter continues to pick up His Cross and follow Jesus. Peter is a great example of the virtue of perseverance. Further down the road the Lord has great plans for Peter and the rest of the Apostles. He also has great plans for us here today to build up His Church. We as Christ’s disciples are called by name to continue the mission. Stay close to Jesus. God has great plans for you! St. Brigid of Kildare, pray for us.
Father Tim Lynch