Today is the turning point in the gospel story. The ministry of Jesus transitions towards Jerusalem and his coming passion.

The Blind Man of Bethsaida.

22When they arrived at Bethsaida, they brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on him and asked, “Do you see anything?”24Looking up he replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”25Then he laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.26Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

Peter’s Confession about Jesus

.27Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”28They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”29And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Messiah.”30Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

The First Prediction of the Passion.

31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.32He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.33At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

The Conditions of Discipleship.

34He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.35For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.36What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?37What could one give in exchange for his life?38Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Go here for my comment and reflections for today.