12th Sunday of the Year (C)

Inspire in Us the Practice of Good (2011-2013):

12th Sunday of the Year (C), June 23, 2013

Liturgical readings
Zechariah 12:10-11
Psalm 63
Galatians 3:26-29
Luke 9:18-24

"He must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Christ."



One day
when Jesus was praying in seclusion
and his disciples were with him,
he put the question to them,


"Who do the crowds say that I am?"


"John the Baptizer,"
they replied,


"and some say Elijah,


while others claim
one of the prophets of old
has returned from the dead."


"But you
- who do you say that I am?"
he asked them.


Peter said in reply,
"The Messiah of God."


He strictly forbade them
to tell this to anyone.


"The Son of Man,"
he said
"must first endure many sufferings,
        be rejected by the elders,
        the high priests
        and the scribes,
and be put to death,
and then be raised up on the third day."


Jesus said to all:
"Whoever wishes to be my follower
must deny his very self,
take up his cross each day,
and follow in my steps,


Whoever would save his life
will lose it,
and
whoever loses his life
for my sake will save it."


Points for reflection and prayer:
"And they shall look on him whom they have thrust through." (Zechariah)
"O God, you are my God whom I seek." (Psalm 63)
"Each one of you is a son of God because of your faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians)