Take up the Cross Each Day

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For 16 September 2018, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, based on Mark 8:27–35

  Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

  Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

  He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.


Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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About Nick Punch, O.P.

Nick joined the Dominican Order in 1961 and was ordained a priest in December 1966. Since then, he has worked in parishes, schools and universities. Nick was Provincial of the Australian New Zealand province of Dominicans from 1981-1988. Since 1991, Nick has been preaching full time with the Thomas More Center at churches in USA, Australia and New Zealand, appreciating the many ways that parish teams reach the people.