September 15th, 2024 - Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus was often misunderstood in the course of his public ministry, as we have heard in today’s gospel. People often confused him with past figures or projected on him the ideal fulfillment of their own future hopes and expectations. Over the centuries, Jesus true identity as the eternal Son of God in the flesh has been obscured or even stolen from him.  That’s why in our time it is so important to get the right answer to Jesus’ own question: “Who do you say I am?” St. Mark helps us understand that Jesus is not just a superhero that tames the demons of evil and cures people of whatever ails them. Jesus is the crucified Savior, God’s own Son who emptied himself for our sake on the cross, and who is our non-stop advocate before the Father’s throne of grace. We know in faith that Jesus is our divine friend who laid down his life for us to save us from the twin powers of sin and death, and who is the source of all grace and blessing in our lives. Jesus is our Bread of Life who feeds our hunger and quenches our thirst to bring us into intimate communion with our God.