Jesus Makes An Heroic Choice

On their way to the villages of Caesarea Philippi Jesus asked his

disciples, "Who do people say I am?" They told him, "John the Baptist;

others say, 'Elijah'; some say, 'One of the prophets.'" Then he said to

them, "But you yourselves, who do you say that I am?" Peter answered

him, "You are the Christ." But he strictly charged them to tell no one

that he was the Christ.



Then Jesus began to explain to his isciples that he must suffer many

things and be rejected by the elders and high priests and scribes and be

killed, but that after three days he would rise from the dead. This he

said openly; and Peter tried to reprove him. But Jesus turned and,

looking upon his disciples, reproved Peter, saying, "Away with you,

Satan, for your mind is not on the things of God but of men."



Then Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him, and said to them,

"If any one wishes to follow me, let him forget himself, take up his

cross, and come with me. For any one who is thinking only of saving his

life, will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the

sake of the good news, will save it. What does it profit a man to gain

the whole world and lose his soul? For what could a man give in exchange

for his soul? Whoever is ashamed of me and my teachings in this sinful

world, of him I will be ashamed when I come in the glory of my Father

with the holy angels."