What if modern medicine were somehow able to end all suffering due to sickness and disease? It would be cause for great rejoicing, certainly, but, by faith, we know that it would not address our spiritual needs, Only the cross of Christ can deal with the heart’s desire for God, In a way, Luke made this point by juxtaposing a miracle story with Jesus’ second prediction about his passion, When Jesus healed a lad po5sessed by a demon (see Lk 9:38-42), “all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples, ‘Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men'” (Lk 9:43-44).

Once again, Jesus revealed the central reality of his mission to all who would be his disciples: The cross is the way of salvation and eternal life. Discipleship, union with God, fullness of life-these things come not as a result of miracles or teachings, but through obedience to Jesus’ call- “f any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’ (Lk9:23),

Because of their faith, the disciples were able to go out “preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (see Lk 9:6), That was the fruit of their calling, but not its essence. Full discipleship means allowing the cross of Christ to separate us from sin and conform us more and more to the image of God’s Son.

This was the second time Jesus predicted his passion to the disciples, but once more “they did not understand” (Lk 9:45). In the end, they had to experience Jesus’ resurrection in order to grasp the significance of his cross. The same holds true for us. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we will come to experience the great freedom and hope available to us as we allow the cross of Christ to put to death the ways of sin within us. Let us ask the Spirit to open our minds and our hearts to the power that can flow from union with Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Let Us Pray:
Lord God, inscribe the message of the cross on our hearts, that we might seek to mature in the life in the Spirit through your Son’s victory over sin and death. Grant us this through Christ Our Lord. Amen

The Church Teaches:
From the day Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Master “began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Peter scorns this prediction, nor do the others understand it any better than he. In this context the mysterious episode of Jesus’ Transfiguration takes place on a high mountain, before three witnesses chosen by himself: Peter, James and John. Jesus’ face and clothes become dazzling with light, and Moses and Elijah appear, speaking “of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem”. A cloud covers him and a voice from heaven says: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” CCC554

HELP TO REFLECTION:

• In Book of Zechariah the Israelites are presented as a people who found their recovery, joy and peace only in God can we too find solution to our problems of life by turning to God? Let us try.
• How did St. Luke demonstrate that only the Cross of Christ Can deal with the heart’s desire for Christ?
• What did Jesus teach his disciples on the central reality of His mission?
• Why did the apostles of Jesus not yet understand after the second prediction of His passion and did they ever come to understand it? What do we learn from this ourselves and what should we do?
• Study once again the Church’s teaching on how Jesus reveals His passion to His disciples. (CCC 554).