One Minute Reflection – 28 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 9:18-22 – Friday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St Simón de Rojas O.SS. (1552-1624) known as “Father Ave Maria” and the “Apostle of the Ave Maria”
And he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”...Luke 9:20
REFLECTION – “In fact, there are two ways of “seeing” and “knowing” Jesus one – that of the crowd – is more superficial, the other – that of the disciples – more penetrating and genuine. With His twofold question: “What do the people say?” and “who do you say that I am?”, Jesus invited the disciples to become aware of this different perspective. The people thought that Jesus was a prophet. This was not wrong but it does not suffice, it is inadequate. In fact, it was a matter of delving deep, of recognising the uniqueness of the person of Jesus of Nazareth and His newness. This is how it still is today, many people draw near to Jesus, as it were, from the outside….Let us make Peter’s answer our own…..
Today too, as in Jesus’ day, it does not suffice to possess the proper confession of faith – it is always necessary to learn anew from the Lord the actual way in which He is Saviour and the path on which we must follow Him. Indeed, we have to recognise that even for believers, the Cross is always hard to accept.”…Pope Benedict XVI – 29 June 2007
PRAYER – Lord God, You hold out the Light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts, the faith You have given us and the Credo we profess, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit has kindled in us. May the intercession of St Simon de Rojas, grant us the grace of following the way of the Cross, to stand beneath it with our Mother, the Mother of God, Ave Maria! We make our prayer through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
