Jesus shows us the Way of the Cross

09-03-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Dan Connealy

Happy Sunday!

Happy Labor Day weekend to everyone! It’s pretty wild that September is already here. We’re a month into the school year already and things are off to a great start. As we look forward in September the parish continues to increase in activity. Religious Education, Youth Group, and RCIA will all be getting underway. If you are an adult who has never received the Sacrament of Confirmation please reach out to Michael Vollmer about receiving this Sacrament. Confirmation will be conferred in the spring but a semester-long class called “Renew Our Faith”can be taken this fall to prepare for Confirmation in the spring. This class begins September 18 and runs every Monday from 4:15-5:45pm. Hope to see you there!

In last Sunday’s Gospel Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responded with his beautiful profession of faith, proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. However, this Sunday, in the verses immediately following, Jesus rebukes Peter. This rebuke is because Peter gets in the way of the Cross, the path to salvation. Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis comments on this saying, “...we see the creature trying to contain and derail the divine energy of the Creator because, in its limitation, the creature perpetually thinks it can do things better and more efficiently than the Wisdom who created the universe.” Isn’t this a common trap for us? When we run up against difficulties in the life of Faith, we want to tell God how things should best be run. However, his wisdom is the cross. It might be heavy, bloody, unpleasant, but the cross leads to the resurrection. Jesus shows us the way of the cross, not because he wants to see us suffer, but because he knows that we can handle it as long as we let him carry it with us. Whatever crosses we might bear right now, we are invited to let Jesus share them with us so he can show us the way to salvation.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe week. Know of my prayers!