when Jesus talked about His dying,   A crucified Messiah?  A Messiah who becomes a sin offering?  Impossible.

He had power over disease, He had power over demons, He had power over death.

because without the shedding of His blood there would be no forgiveness of sin.

our sins, our transgressions.  Wash us, cleanse us

*** 1st Reading ***  

Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8

Rejoice, young man,

In your youth and direct well your heart when you are young; follow your desires and achieve your ambitions but recall that God will take account of all you do.Drive sorrow from your heart and pain from your flesh, for youth and dark hair will not last.

 Be mindful of your Creator when you are young, before the time of sorrow comes when you have to say, “This gives me no pleasure,”  and before the sun, moon and stars withdraw their light, before the clouds gather again after the rain. 

On the day when the guardians of the house tremble, when sturdy men are bowed and those at the mill stop working because they are too few, when it grows dim for those looking through the windows, and the doors are shut and the noise of the mill grows faint, the sparrow stops chirping and the bird-song is silenced, when one fears the slopes and to walk is frightening; yet the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper is fat and the caperberry bears fruit that serves no purpose,

because man goes forward to his eternal home and mourners gather in the street, even before the silver chain is snapped or the golden globe is shattered, before the pitcher is broken at the fountain or the wheel at the mill, before the dust returns to the earth from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Meaningless! meaningless! the Teacher says; all is meaningless!

 

Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 & 17

In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

 

**** Gospel ****  

Luke 9:43b-45

And all who saw it were astonished at God’s wonderful work.While all were amazed at everything Jesus did, he said to his disciples, “Listen and remember what I tell you now: The Son of Man will be delivered into human hands.”

But the disciples didn’t understand this saying; something prevented them from grasp­ing what he meant, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

 

 Gospel Reflection:

Carpe Diem!

Blessed Carlo Acutis, the computer whiz kid who became the Blessed among the millennial generation, commented thus: “We are born originals, but many live as photocopies.”

How true! if only the youth made “Carpe Diem!” (seize the day) their motto and sought to realize the dream destiny for which they had been created, uniquely and lovingly, by God! This is what the Ecclesiastes advices the youth: realize your dreams, but being mindful of God and your duty to give an account of your life.

It won’t be the years of one’s life that matters, but the quality of the life lived. Such quality can be achieved only when one boldly engages life, asks exploring questions not only to the people around but to God as well, unlike the timid disciples of today’s gospel! who were afraid to ask Jesus the meaning of his words. Has they dared to ask, they would have received answers enlightening their path.