What we have today will be gone tomorrow. The only thing that we can hold fast is our faith and the truth that Jesus, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, rules supreme.
By being obedient unto Him, we will survive all the changes in the world, for the world is constantly changing and evolving. But He is the only constant in our lives.
So let us discern always the will and word of the Lord for us individually. Knowing His word and will for us will mean that everything we do, we do for the Lord and will bear fruit for Him.
Blessed are we who put our faith on the rock, our Lord and God. Through His life, death, and resurrection, we have the joyful hope of eternal life in Him. Amen.
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First reading
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 ·
There is a time for every occupation under heaven
There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven:
A time for giving birth,
a time for dying;
a time for planting,
a time for uprooting what has been planted.
A time for killing,
a time for healing;
a time for knocking down,
a time for building.
A time for tears,
a time for laughter;
a time for mourning,
a time for dancing.
A time for throwing stones away,
a time for gathering them up;
a time for embracing,
a time to refrain from embracing.
A time for searching,
a time for losing;
a time for keeping,
a time for throwing away.
A time for tearing,
a time for sewing;
a time for keeping silent,
a time for speaking.
A time for loving,
a time for hating;
a time for war,
a time for peace.
What does a man gain for the efforts that he makes? I contemplate the task that God gives mankind to labour at. All that he does is apt for its time; but though he has permitted man to consider time in its wholeness, man cannot comprehend the work of God from beginning to end.
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Gospel
Luke 9:18-22
‘You are the Christ of God’
One day when Jesus was praying alone in the presence of his disciples he put this question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist; others Elijah; and others say one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ It was Peter who spoke up. ‘The Christ of God’ he said. But he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this.
‘The Son of Man’ he said ‘is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’
