Reflections from the June 19 Gospel
Luke 9:18-24
Here we see Jesus taking time to be alone in prayer, but also taking time to engage in spiritual reflection with the other members of his community. He didn’t sacrifice one for the other. He found a way to have both. We are called to do the same. Developing the habit of personal prayer is an essential part of our spiritual lives. Like Jesus, we too need to set aside time and space to pray by ourselves, connecting as individuals with our Father in heaven. It enables us to give our own answer the poignant question Jesus poses today, “But who do you say that I am?” Personal prayer alone, however, is not enough to fulfill us spiritually. We are also meant to participate in the larger community of believers, joining together with others in communal prayer and reflection. This, of course, happens every time we attend Mass as we gather together at church and join in the liturgy.
Questions of the Week
Luke 9:18-24:
What challenges you most in
Luke’s definition of discipleship?
Zechariah 12:10-11; 13:1:
Where do you see “a spirit of grace and petition” in the Church today?
Galatians 3:26-29:
Paul identifies the social and cultural demarcation of his day (Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female). How would you define those markers in our current culture?