TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

Mathew: 16:18-19 "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hades will not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,"


TODAY'S REFLECTION

 ‘The Chair of St Peter’

Today’s feast, ‘The Chair of St Peter’ is an ancient feast that has been kept at Rome since the fourth century; it celebrates the role of the Bishop of Rome as a symbol of unity for all Christians. 

In the gospel reading, Simon Peter is singled out as the Rock on which Jesus wants to build his church. 


In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul identifies Jesus as the foundation on which the church is built, and he declares that no one can lay any other foundation. 


Yet, here in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus identifies Peter as the rock, the foundation, on which the church is built. 


In the gospel reading, although Jesus singles out Peter as the rock on which the church is built, Jesus refers to the church as ‘my church’. 


The church is the church of Jesus; it is not the church of Peter or of anybody else. 


If Peter is the rock on which Jesus’ church is built, he is so as the representative of Jesus, the true rock. 


His calling is to represent Jesus, to embody Jesus, in a unique way, to provide for Jesus’ church. 


That is the special calling of every bishop of Rome, every Pope, since the time of Peter. 


Anyone who knows anything about church history will be aware that not every Pope has lived up to that very special and challenging calling. 


Indeed, Peter himself was far from perfect, denying Jesus three times. 


Yet, the gospels show that after rising from the dead Jesus kept faith with Peter. 


It seems that Jesus is content to entrust great responsibility for his church to those who are prone to failure. 


Our present Pope Francis has a deep sense of himself as a loved and forgiven sinner. 


That is true of all of us. As loved sinners, we each have a vital role to play in the Lord’s church.


The Church has its weaknesses… but the Church needs Powerful Persons… in You and Me!

The Church has its negatives… but the Church needs Passionate Lovers of God… in You and Me!

The Church has its flaws… but the Church needs Committed Preachers of the Word… in You and Me!

The Body of Christ while hanging on the Cross was weak… but “No bone of His, was broken” (Jn 19:36)

The Church of Christ while living in the world maybe weak… but No bone shall be broken!“…on this rock, I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it!” St Peter, after having personally experienced the Presence and Power of Jesus in his life, could write with deep conviction:

“When the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will obtain the unfading crown of glory!” (1 Pet 5:4)

Let us draw closer to Jesus, the Great Rock Who will help us to stand firm and become passionate in service of the Church…

And being ready to face any challenge or problem, let it be said of us:

“If someone says, he is not afraid of death or problems in life… then he is either lying… or he is a Christian!”


Happy Feast Day!