Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – August 30, 2026

Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook and Instagram.

Click here for the readings.

Today's Gospel can be unsettling. Jesus rebukes Peter because Peter cannot accept that the Messiah must suffer and die. He wants salvation without the struggle, the sacrifice, or the cross. But Jesus knows that resurrection comes only after death.

The cross is not an unfortunate interruption of Christ's mission—it is at the very heart of it. Jesus came as the Lamb of God, pouring out his life so that we might be freed from the two greatest enemies of the human heart: sin and death.

Then Jesus turns to us and says: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." He even tells us that whoever loses his life for his sake will find it. Lasting peace is never found by living only for ourselves. It is found by living as God lives—pouring ourselves out in love for others, just as Christ poured himself out for us.

The cost of discipleship is high.

St. Paul reminds us that we are to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God." In other words, every part of our lives belongs to the Lord. We hold nothing back. He also urges us: "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind." Allowing Christ to reshape our hearts and minds is not always easy. It often requires sacrifice, and sometimes it even invites misunderstanding or ridicule.

Anyone who truly follows Jesus will eventually meet the cross. But the cross is never the end of the story. Christ always leads those who follow him beyond Calvary to the joy of the Resurrection. His victory over death is the promise of our own.

Have a blessed week everyone.