Dear Friends,

This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. The gospel reading begins with a clear statement of the Paschal Mystery: that Jesus must suffer and die and be raised. Jesus tells the disciples and us that we must take up our cross and follow him through self-sacrifice: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” The only way to have our life is to lose it. As believers in the Paschal Mystery, we know that the suffering and dying will lead to new life.

This gospel reading invites us to reflect upon people whom we know who take up their crosses daily—perhaps our family members or ourselves. Reflecting upon the sacrifices made by so many helps us to better appreciate the blessings in our own lives.

I hope that you have a good weekend.

In Christ’s peace,
Mrs. Katie Walsh

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Gospel – Mt 16: 21-27

Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“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 will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life”
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”