How Do You Live Your Faith?

First Reading: Is 50:5-9a

The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let that man confront me. See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

Second Reading: Jas 2:14-18

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?

Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, " but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

Gospel: Mk 8:27-35

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.

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it."

Reflection
By Cris Balla

How Do You Live Your Faith?

                   

The Gospel tells the story of Saint Peter correctly identifying Jesus as the Messiah… Or was he correct? We later see in the Gospel that apparently Saint Peter has had different understanding of Jesus the Messiah vs. the definition of Jesus.

Fast forward to the future. Today, I think many of us Christians probably define Jesus the  Messiah no different than Saint Peter's. While on one hand, we now know and believe that Jesus, the Son of Man, suffered and killed (and rose again), I think we fail to follow the other guideline of Jesus pertaining our faith in Him - "to take up our cross".

And so, that got me thinking along the lines of how to take up our cross and follow Him? In some parts of the country, there is this annual spectacle of literally carrying a cross. But I personally believe that is not what it is about that Jesus wanted. I believe He meant far more than the superficial.

I believe that Jesus meant that we must not only have faith in Him, but also live that faith through our actions. And that means, living a life following His examples, living a total Christian life.

So how do you live your faith?

Prayer

Father, please grant us the faith and the strength to carry our cross everyday so we give glory to Your name in the way we live life.

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it."