×

HOW TO DONATE

1 Click on DONATE button.
2 Choose your PROGRAM
3 Choose your amount.

If you still have problems, please let us know, by sending an email to support@sjbny.org . Thank you!

CHURCH HOURS

Mon-Fri 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Sat - 9:00AM-5:00PM
CALL US: (212) 288-5082
  • SUPPORT

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste

The Church is the People of God sharing in Jesus’ ministry of preaching, teaching and healing.

T (212) 288-5082
Email: info@sjbny.org

Eglise St. Jean Baptist
Rectory Address: 184 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021

Open in Google Maps
  • ABOUT
    • Our History
    • Congregation of The Blessed Sacrament Fathers
    • Sisters of Congregation of Notre Dame
    • The Shrine of St. Peter Julian Eymard
    • National Shrine of St. Anne
    • St Jean Baptiste High School
    • Parish Staff
    • Photo Gallery
    • Volunteering
    • Contact US
  • LITURGY
    • Baptism
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
    • Anointing
    • Funerals
    • Mass intentions
    • Prayer Group
  • EDUCATION
    • Info & Registration
    • Preparation for Sacraments
    • Adults Education
    • Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
    • Calendar
  • MUSIC
    • The organ
  • COMMUNITY
    • Community Center
    • The Theatre at St. Jeans
    • What’s next at the Theatre?
    • Community Theatre Group
    • Applause
  • TODDLER PROGRAM
  • WATCH MASS
DONATE
  • Home
  • BLOG & STORIES
  • Church Reflections
  • TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 3rd, 2023
December 7, 2023

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 3rd, 2023

Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste
Saturday, 09 September 2023 / Published in Church Reflections

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 3rd, 2023

JEREMIAH 20:7-9 | ROMANS 12:1-2 | MATTHEW 16:21-27

A short time ago Jesus had brought the apostles to the sacred district of Caesarea Philippi. There Simon made a profound, public profession of faith in Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus was exuberant. He even gave Simon a new name, Peter, a rock. He promised him the keys of the kingdom of God, and assured him that the powers of darkness would never prevail. What a moment that was! Peter and the other apostles left that district on a religious high.

Simon Peter’s profession revealed Jesus as the Messiah. The joy that the apostles felt ignited their fantasies of power and glory, the Messiah leading a march into Jerusalem riding a magnificent horse, and followed by a great army. He would ascend the throne of a liberated and independent Israel. It took but a moment for Jesus to dissolve their fantasies. “Jesus began to instruct his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and on the third day raised.”

The apostles were high on thoughts of power. Jesus’ prediction of his death threw them for a loop. Simon Peter, again the first to speak, rebuked him. “God forgive, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”

Poor Simon Peter, his heart was in the right place. What a shock when Jesus, burning with anger and frustration, spat at him, “Get behind me, Satan!” It seemed like one minute he was joyfully changing Simon’s name and giving him the keys to the kingdom of God, and then suddenly,

he was calling him the king of tempters, Satan. He commanded him to step back into line, and begin “to think like God does, not like humans.” Simon Peter stood there, silent, embarrassed, confused.

Then Jesus turned to the rest of the apostles and hit them with a teaching that would take them a lifetime to digest. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

That was a mouthful, wasn’t it!? The disciples must have been speechless when they heard him. They were hoping to be princes in Jesus’ kingdom; what’s this about denying oneself? What did he mean that they needed to lose their lives in order to find life? Was he out of his mind challenging them to accept death on a cross?

The teaching coming from this scene is of utmost important for every disciple to contemplate, not only once, but every day. It’s the guide to the Christian way of life. Jesus is telling us, his beloved disciples, that we’re wrong if we think we’re alive. Our concept of life was a fantasy. Longing for power and fame are distractions. We discover true life by pouring out our lives in the service of others. Jesus is teaching us that we’ll have to liberate ourselves from our ego’s selfishness if we hope for real life – the life he’s offering us. Let’s conclude this reflection with the words Jesus spoke so many times. “Let those who have ears to hear, hear.”

  • Tweet
Tagged under: ordinary time, pastor, reflection, sunday

What you can read next

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, May 9, 2021
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, June 26, 2022
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, December 11, 2022

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING, November 26, 2023

    EZEKIEL 34: 11-12 | 1 CORINTHIANS 15: 20-26 | M...
  • THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, November 19, 2023

    PROVERBS 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 | 1 THESSALONIA...
  • THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, November 12, 2023

    WISDOM 6:12-16 | 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18 | MATT...
  • THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, November 5, 2023

    MALACHI 1:14B-2:2B, 8-10 | 1 THESSALONIANS 2:7B...
  • THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, October 29, 2023

    EXODUS 22:20-26 | 1 THESSALONIANS 1:5C-10 | MAT...

Recent Comments

  • Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste on HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, January 3, 2021
  • Joanne Spuches on HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, January 3, 2021
  • Donna Szabo on SECOND EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 19, 2020

Archives

  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019

Categories

  • Church Reflections
  • Memorials

Featured Posts

  • THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING, November 26, 2023

    0 comments
  • THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, November 19, 2023

    0 comments
  • THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, November 12, 2023

    0 comments

FOOTER MENU

  • DONATE
  • Our History

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

By subscribing to our mailing list you will always be updated with the latest news from us.

We never spam!

GET IN TOUCH

T (212) 288-5082
Email: info@sjbny.org

St Jean Baptiste Church
184 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021

Open in Google Maps

  • GET SOCIAL

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste © 2019 All rights reserved. Credits Gianluca Boccia.

TOP
CHURCH SCHEDULE OF MASSES

REVISED CHURCH SCHEDULE

WEEKDAY 
Church opens at 7:00 AM
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 8:00 AM until 11:30 AM
Confessions from 11:30 AM until 11:50 AM
MASS at 12:00 PM
Church closes 1:30 PM

SATURDAY 
Church Opens at 11:00 AM
Confessions from 11:30 AM until 11:50 AM
MASS at 12:00 PM
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 4:45 PM
Confessions from 4:30 PM until 4:50 PM
Anticipated Sunday MASS at 5:00 PM
Church closes at 6:00 PM

SUNDAY SCHEDULE
Church Opens at 8:30 AM
MASS at 9:00 AM
HIGH MASS at 11:00 AM
EVENING PRAYER at 3:15 PM
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament From Noon until 3:45 PM
MASS at 4:00 PM
Church closes at 5:00 PM