St. Vincent de Paul, priest 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Haggai 2: 1-9

 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month of the second year of the reign of Darius,

this word of Yahweh was sent through the prophet Haggai,   “Give this message to Zerubbabel, the go­vernor of Judah, and to Joshua, the high priest, and to all the people:

Is there left among you one of those who saw this house long ago in the time of its glory? What do they think of what they see now? Is it not a very little thing?  But I say to you, Zerubbabel, Joshua and my people: do not be discouraged. Begin to work, for I am with you, says Yahweh.   Do not be afraid, for my spirit is in your midst.

Thus says Yahweh of hosts, within a short while I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the continents.   Then I will shake all the nations and bring in the treasures of the whole world. I will fill this House with glory, says Yahweh.   I will have as much silver and gold as I wish. The renown of this Temple will be greater than before, and in this place I will give peace,” says Yah­weh of hosts.

 

 ＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 9: 18-22

 One day when Jesus was pray­ing alone, not far from his disciples, he asked them, “What do peo­ple say about me?”  

And they answered, “Some say that you are John the Baptist; others say that you are Elijah, and still others that you are one of the prophets of old, risen from the dead.” Again Jesus asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”

 Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.”  Then Jesus spoke to them, giving them strict orders not to tell this to anyone.

 And he added, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the Law, and be put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life.”

 

Reflection gospel：

“WHY DO YOU SAY THAT I AM.”

Fortunate are the disciples to have interacted personally with Jesus, face to face, witnessed his healing activities, and heard his preaching. (How could the Pharisees and other religious leaders miss the God-person be-fore them!)

As for us, “Who is Jesus?” The descriptions of Jesus handed down by our parents, by our religious education teachers, by the Church, etc. become real only when we experienced them ourselves.

Jesus is who/what he is said to be only when we encounter him personally in our lives. We may recall that in the Prologue of the gospel of John, it is said: “All things came into being through him”(1:3). If we are created through him, this must indeed, say something about us and Jesus.

It would say that he is in every fiber of our being and that he would be so close to us than we know. Would not this closeness reveal who he is? This closeness allows for his revelation so that we can truly say who he is to us.