On the rock of Peter, I will build my Church

 

Sunday 23 August 2020

On the rock of Peter, I will build my Church

 

First reading

Isaiah 22:19-23 ·

I place the key of the House of David on my servant's shoulder

Thus says the Lord of Hosts to Shebna, the master of the palace:

I dismiss you from your office,

I remove you from your post,

and the same day I call on my servant

Eliakim son of Hilkiah.

I invest him with your robe,

gird him with your sash,

entrust him with your authority;

and he shall be a father

to the inhabitants of Jerusalem

and to the House of Judah.

I place the key of the House of David

on his shoulder;

should he open, no one shall close,

should he close, no one shall open.

I drive him like a peg

into a firm place;

he will become a throne of glory

for his father’s house.

THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

In the ancient world when cities had huge walls surrounding them to prevent enemies from gaining access, the city gates were huge and the locks and keys for them huge too. The king would appoint his chief minister to be in charge of locking the gate in the evening and opening in the morning. He would be supreme in allowing people in or out of the city. He would wear the keys around his neck. When people saw him, they would realise that he was the person after the king with supreme authority. So it happens that one minister is removed from office and Eliakim is appointed. This passage is chosen because in the Gospel, Jesus gives the keys of heaven to Peter. After Jesus, he has authority to govern the Church.

 

 Psalm

Psalm 137(138):1-3,6,8

Your love, O Lord, is eternal: discard not the work of your hands.

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart:

you have heard the words of my mouth.

In the presence of the angels I will bless you.

I will adore before your holy temple.

Your love, O Lord, is eternal: discard not the work of your hands.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love,

which excel all we ever knew of you.

On the day I called, you answered;

you increased the strength of my soul.

Your love, O Lord, is eternal: discard not the work of your hands.

The Lord is high yet he looks on the lowly

and the haughty he knows from afar.

Your love, O Lord, is eternal,

discard not the work of your hands.

Your love, O Lord, is eternal: discard not the work of your hands.

 

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Second reading

Romans 11:33-36 ·

All that exists comes from him; all is by him and from him.

How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen. THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

We humans are nothing before God. We should never forget this. None of us can understand the mind of the God who created the universe by the power of his Word. We shouldn’t think that God does not know what he is doing. The world is in his hands even though to us it may look as if evil has the upper hand. Eventually, in his own time, God will work all things out. Let us relax in the loving goodness and power of God.

 

 

 

Mt16:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

You are Peter

and on this rock I will build my Church.

And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.

Alleluia!

 

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Gospel

Matthew 16:13-20

You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’ Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

Jesus came to save the whole world and people of all ages from sin, Satan, and death. He would do this by living the perfect human life and offering his life, ultimately, on the Cross as a Sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Being the Son of God, his Sacrifice had infinite values and won for the whole world forgiveness and all the blessings of the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). This salvation was to be made available for everyone of every age. In order to do this, Jesus founded a church community which will be universal and last till the end of time. The  gates of hell, try as they may, will never overcome his Church and lead it into the way of error. Peter was given full authority to govern the Church after Jesus had left the world. Jesus always present spiritually in the Church throughout the ages will preserve it from error. After Peter died another was given his authority to guide and lead the Church and so on throughout the ages. We in the Catholic Church are members of the Church Jesus founded on the rock of Peter. The Church is like a Mother to us; through it we receive forgiveness for sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the nourishment of our faith through the Holy Eucharist which is the very Body and Blood of Jesus.