Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs

In the ministry of Jesus, we see the close connection between his mighty works and the coming of God’s kingdom. His signs show that the kingdom is present in him, attest that he is the promised Messiah, and invite us to believe in the One sent by the Father. By healing and freeing people from hunger, injustice, illness, death, and demonic domination, Jesus gave messianic signs; yet he came above all to free humanity from sin, the deepest slavery that harms our vocation as God’s children. Jesus chose the Twelve to share in his mission of preaching the kingdom and healing. Among them, Peter received a unique mission: to strengthen his brothers in faith and to exercise authority in the Church, including the authority symbolized by the keys of the kingdom. As we reflect together, we can place our trust in Christ, whose works bear witness that he is the Son of God and whose kingdom brings victory over sin and the powers of death.

In the moments leading up to his Passion, Jesus reveals his divine glory in the Transfiguration, confirming Peter’s confession and showing that he must go by the way of the cross in Jerusalem to enter into his glory. The Transfiguration gives us a foretaste of Christ’s glorious coming and recalls that we enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions. As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he is prepared to die there; he weeps for the city and expresses his desire that it would know the things that make for peace. His humble entry into Jerusalem reveals the coming kingdom that he will accomplish through the Passover of his Death and Resurrection. For Catholic families, this passage invites us to listen to Jesus, to meet trials with faith, to grow in humility, and to prepare our hearts for the joy of the Resurrection.