FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Haggai (Haggai 2: 1-9)
“In a little while I will fill this house with splendour.”
In the second year of Darius the king, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, ‘Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit abides among you; fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts. ”’
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 43 :1.2.3.4 (R. see 5cd)
R/. Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
Give me justice, O God, and plead my cause
against a nation that is faithless.
From the deceitful and the cunning
rescue me, O God. R.
You, O God, are my strength;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning,
oppressed by the foe? R.
R/. Hope in God; I will praise him yet again,
my saving presence and my God.
O send forth your light and your truth;
they will guide me on.
They will bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell. R.
And I will come to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and gladness.
To you will I give thanks on the harp,
O God, my God. R
ALLELUIA Mark 10:45
Alleluia. The Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 9: 18-22)
You are the Christ of God. The Son of man must suffer many things.
Now it happened that as Jesus was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist; but others say, Elijah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen.” And he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
In our search for meaning we always set out from the known. Unfortunately, sometimes we get stuck at some phase, as was the case of the people during the time of Jesus. In their efforts to define Jesus, they associated him with the great men of history such as, “John the Baptist, Elijah; and one of the prophets.” They could not see Jesus for who he was, and the mission he came to accomplish. Even his closet friends couldn’t imagine a savior who must suffer. If we want to be great in this life, we must give up all illusions of a life without suffering. We must allow Jesus to direct our paths, for he is all knowing and will give us what is best for us.