22-02-2016 : FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF SAINT PETER, APOSTLE.

Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
Lectionary: 535

Reading 11 PT 5:1-4

Beloved:
I exhort the presbyters among you,
as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ
and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.
Tend the flock of God in your midst,
overseeing not by constraint but willingly,
as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
Do not lord it over those assigned to you,
but be examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd is revealed,
you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Responsorial PsalmPS 23:1-3A, 4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Verse Before The GospelMT 16:18

You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church;
the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

GospelMT 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

www.usccb.org

Meditation: Be merciful as your Father is merciful

Do you know and experience the mercy God has for you through the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for you and for your sins upon the cross? The Lord Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross so that we could receive pardon rather than condemnation, freedom rather than slavery to sin, and healing for the wounds caused by sin, injustice, and evil. 

God's mercy knows no limits
God the Father never tires of showing his steadfast love and mercy to those who seek him. Scripture tells us that his mercies never cease. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (The Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:22-23). What can hold us back from receiving God's mercy and pardon? Anger, resentment, an unwillingness to forgive or to ask for pardon can hold us back from the healing power and merciful love that has power to wash away guilt and condemnation, fear and anger, pride and resentment. The Lord Jesus offers us freedom to walk in his way of love and forgiveness, mercy and goodness. 

Imitate God the Father's mercy
We are called to be merciful towards one another just as our heavenly Father has been merciful towards each one of us. Do you quickly forgive those who wrong you or cause you grief or pain, or do you allow ill-will and resentment to grow in your heart? Do you pray for those who have lost sight of God's mercy, pardon, truth, and justice? 

In the Old Testament we see the example of Daniel, a man of great faith in God's mercy and just ways, who prayed daily, not only for himself, but for his own people, and for his persecutors as well.  Daniel was 'shamefaced' before God because he recognized that his own people who had been called and chosen by God as the people of Israel, were now suffering in exile due to their sins and unfaithfulness to the covenant God had made with them (see Daniel 9:4-10). Daniel did not sit in judgment over the failings and sins of his own people, instead he pleaded with God for compassion, pardon, and restoration. Our shame will turn to joy and hope if we confess our sins and ask for God's healing love and mercy.. 

Do not judge
Why does Jesus tell his followers to "not judge lest they be judged"? Jesus knew the human heart all too well. We judge too quickly or unfairly with mixed motives, impure hearts, and prejudiced minds. The heart must be cleansed first in order to discern right judgment with grace and mercy rather than with ill will and vengeance.

Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), a wise early Christian teacher and writer, comments on Jesus' exhortation to not condemn:

Do not judge, that is, unjustly, so that you may not be judged, with regard to injustice. With the judgment that you judge shall you be judged. This is like the phrase "Forgive, and it will be forgiven you." For once someone has judged in accordance with justice, he should forgive in accordance with grace, so that when he himself is judged in accordance with justice, he may be worthy of forgiveness through grace. Alternatively, it was on account of the judges, those who seek vengeance for themselves, that he said, "Do not condemn." That is, do not seek vengeance for yourselves. Or, do not judge from appearances and opinion and then condemn, but admonish and advise. (COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 6.18B.)

Grace and mercy 
What makes true disciples of Jesus Christ different from those who do not know the Lord Jesus and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace - treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with forbearance, mercy, and loving-kindness. God shows his goodness to the unjust as well as to the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God always seeks what is best for each one of us and he teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and unkind towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.

Overcome evil with mercy and goodness
How can we possibly love those who cause us grief, harm, or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who trust in his love and who seek his wisdom and help. The Lord is ready to work in and through us by his Holy Spirit, both to purify our minds and hearts and to help us do what is right, good, and loving in all circumstances. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5) God's love conquers all, even our hurts, injuries, fears, and prejudices. Only the cross of Jesus Christ and his victory over sin can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment, and give us the courage to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Such love and grace has power to heal, restore, and transform us into the image of Christ. Do you know the power of Christ's redeeming love and mercy?

"Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom, pardon, and joy. Transform my heart with your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, or make me bitter towards anyone."

A Daily Quote for Lent: The Practice of Mercy, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The practice of mercy is twofold: when vengeance is sacrificed and when compassion is shown. The Lord included both of these in his brief sentence: 'Forgive, and you shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given to you.' This work has the effect of purifying the heart, so that, even under the limitations of this life, we are enabled with pure mind to see the immutable reality of God. There is something holding us back, which has to be loosed so that our sight may break through to the light. In connection with this the Lord said, 'Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you.' Therefore the next and sixth step is that cleansing of the heart." (excerpt from Letter 171A.2) 

www.dailyscripture.net

FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF SAINT PETER THE APOSTLE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, MATTHEW 16:13-19
(1 Peter 5:1-4; Psalm 23)

KEY VERSE: "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven" (v 19).
TO KNOW: When Peter confessed his faith in Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the "Son of the living God" (v 16), Jesus declared that Peter was the foundation, the "rock" (v 18) upon which he would build his Church. Using the figure of a "key," Jesus conferred supreme authority upon Peter. The "key of the House of David" was a symbol of power for Israel (Is 22:22). Jesus was the "Son of David" who possessed the authority to open the door to the New Jerusalem, the kingdom of heaven (Rev 3:7-8). The power to "bind" and "loose," that is, to grant or forbid according to the law, was given to the Church. Whenever the Church chooses to bind up the wounds of people, God is binding those wounds. When the Church loosens the chains of sin’s power, God frees the human heart to forgive and to love. The powers of evil cannot prevail over Christ's power in the Church, despite her sins. The Catholic Church regards Peter as the chief apostle and first leader of the Church whose successor is Pope Francis I, the Holy Father in Rome. It was the rock of Peter's faith that enabled him to follow Jesus until he himself died as a martyr.
TO LOVE: Do I hand on the faith that I received, just as the apostles did in their time?
TO SERVE: St. Peter, help me to serve the Church with love and zeal as you did.
NOTE: The Pope continues today as the Apostolic successor of Peter. When the Pope speaks as the visible head of the Church, from the chair (cathedra) of authority, he speaks with papal infallibility (ex cathedra), which Vatican I defined as the will of the redeemer to preserve the Church from error in matters of faith and morals. St. Augustine wrote: "In essentials, unity, in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things charity." 

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Monday 22 February 2016

Mon 22nd.. Chair of St Peter, Apostle. 1 Peter 5:1-4. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want—Ps 22(23). Matthew 16:13-19.

Readings


Tending the flock.

A relationship with God brings true contentment, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.’ He is our satisfaction, who exceeds whatever we think we desire.

In the Church, our community, all must see (or SHOULD see) what happens when a group of people allows God to lead. Living out our Christian faith is encapsulated in the quote attributed to St Francis of Assisi: ‘Preach the Gospel; when necessary use words’. Living out our faith in deed means that we live out the Gospel through charity and good works.

At times, when the burden of living our faith authentically in the world seems too hard we must return to the question: ‘Who do you say I am?’

This question will force us to decide between being true disciples, silent observers, or active opponents. We, like the disciples 2000 years ago, need to choose YES and make the commitment to faith.

Today, as much as ever, every position of leadership in the Church, be it pope, bishop, priest or lay leader, needs to take care of their flock as only good shepherds can. The flock must draw near to them but not by force or through personal gain but by enthusiasm and sincere love for them. ‘Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock.’

During Lent as we contemplate the sufferings of Jesus and hence look forward to sharing in his risen glory we, the Christian community, must symbolise the presence of the risen Christ and of his Spirit of redeeming love.

www.pray.com.au

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Longing For God

We are not mere beasts. We are rational creatures in the image of God who long for union with him. The spiritual works of mercy are founded on the knowledge that man does not live “by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

— from The Work of Mercy 

February 22
Chair of St. Peter

This feast commemorates Christ’s choosing Peter to sit in his place as the servant-authority of the whole Church (see June 29).

After the “lost weekend” of pain, doubt and self-torment, Peter hears the Good News. Angels at the tomb say to Magdalene, “The Lord has risen! Go, tell his disciples and Peter.” John relates that when he and Peter ran to the tomb, the younger outraced the older, then waited for him. Peter entered, saw the wrappings on the ground, the headpiece rolled up in a place by itself. John saw and believed. But he adds a reminder: “...[T]hey did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (John 20:9). They went home. There the slowly exploding, impossible idea became reality. Jesus appeared to them as they waited fearfully behind locked doors. “Peace be with you,” he said (John 20:21b), and they rejoiced.

The Pentecost event completed Peter’s experience of the risen Christ. “...[T]hey were all filled with the holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4a) and began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them.

Only then can Peter fulfill the task Jesus had given him: “... [O]nce you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). He at once becomes the spokesman for the Twelve about their experience of the Holy Spirit—before the civil authorities who wished to quash their preaching, before the council of Jerusalem, for the community in the problem of Ananias and Sapphira. He is the first to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. The healing power of Jesus in him is well attested: the raising of Tabitha from the dead, the cure of the crippled beggar. People carry the sick into the streets so that when Peter passed his shadow might fall on them.

Even a saint experiences difficulty in Christian living. When Peter stopped eating with Gentile converts because he did not want to wound the sensibilities of Jewish Christians, Paul says, “...I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong.... [T]hey were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel...” (Galatians 2:11b, 14a).

At the end of John’s Gospel, Jesus says to Peter, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). What Jesus said indicated the sort of death by which Peter was to glorify God. On Vatican Hill, in Rome, during the reign of Nero, Peter did glorify his Lord with a martyr’s death, probably in the company of many Christians.

Second-century Christians built a small memorial over his burial spot. In the fourth century, the Emperor Constantine built a basilica, which was replaced in the 16th century.

Story:

This saintly man's life is perhaps best summed up at his meeting with Jesus after the resurrection in the presence of the men Peter was to lead. In imitation of Peter's triple denial, Jesus asked him three times, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" (John 21:16b). Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. . . . Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you (John 21:16c, 17b).

Comment:

Like the committee chair, this chair refers to the occupant, not the furniture. Its first occupant stumbled a bit, denying Jesus three times and hesitating to welcome gentiles into the new Church. Some of its later occupants have also stumbled a bit, sometimes even failed scandalously. As individuals, we may sometimes think a particular pope has let us down. Still, the office endures as a sign of the long tradition we cherish and as a focus for the universal Church.

Quote:

Peter described our Christian calling in the opening of his First Letter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” (1 Peter 1:3a).

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO DIVINA: CHAIR OF SAINT PETER, APOSTLE

Lectio Divina: 

 Monday, February 22, 2016

1) Opening prayer

Almighty God,
you have given us the witnessing of the apostles
as the firm rock on which we can rely.
Where Peter is, there is the Church.
But we see today that the bark of Peter is rocked;
we are often like capricious children
unused to our newfound freedom.
Make us use this freedom responsibly
and do not allow us to lose our composure.
Reassure us that you are always with us
and keep us optimistic about the future,
for it is your future
and you are our rock for ever.

2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 16, 13-19

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 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 and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency 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 community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'

3) Reflection

• Today’s Gospel presents us three points: the opinion of the people concerning Jesus (Mt 16, 13-14), the opinion of Peter regarding Jesus (Mt 16, 15-16) and the response of Jesus to Peter (Mt 16, 17-19).
• Matthew 16, 13-14: The opinion of the people regarding Jesus.Jesus asks for the opinion of the people regarding his person. The responses are diverse: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Not one of them gives the right answer. Today, also, the opinion of the people regarding Jesus is very varied.
• Matthew 16, 15-16: The opinion of Peter regarding Jesus.Immediately, he asks the opinion of the disciples. Peter becomes the spokesperson and says: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” The response is not new. Before, the disciples had already said the same thing (Mt 14, 33). In the Gospel of John, the same profession of faith is made by Martha (Jn 11, 27). It means that in Jesus the prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled.
• Matthew 16, 17-19: The response of Jesus to Peter. The responses come from several places: “Blessed are you, Simon.Jesus proclaims Peter “Blessed!” because he had received the revelation from the Father. Here, also, the response of Jesus is not new. Previously, he had praised the Father for having revealed the Son to little ones and not to the wise (Mt 11, 25-27) and had made the same proclamation of blessed to the disciples because they were seeing and hearing things that before nobody knew (Mt 13, 16).
- Peter is Rock (Pietra). Peter has to be Rock, that is, should be the stable foundation for the Church in such a way that it can resist against the gates of hell. With these words of Jesus, Matthew encourages the communities which were persecuted by Syria and Palestine. Even if weak and persecuted, the communities have a stable foundation, guaranteed by the words of Jesus. The rock as the basis of faith reminds the people the words of God to the People in exile: “Listen to me, you who pursue saving justice, you who seek Yahweh. Consider the rock from which you were hewn, the quarry from which you were dug. Consider Abraham your father and Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him he was the only one but I blessed him and made him numerous. (Is 51, 1-2). It indicates a new beginning.
- Peter, Rock. Jesus gives a name to Simon and calls him Rock (Peter). In two ways, Peter and Rock (Pietra), in two ways: he isrock-foundation, (Mt 16, 18) and is rock (pietra) a stumbling obstacle, (Mt 16, 23). In our Catholic Church we insist very much on Peter – rock-foundation and we forget Peter- stumbling rock or obstacle. On the one hand Peter was weak in his faith, doubtful, and tries to deviate or withdraw Jesus, he was afraid in the garden, he fell asleep and fled, he did not understood what Jesus was saying. On the other side, he was like the little ones whom Jesus called Blessed. Being one of the twelve, he became their spokesman. Later, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, his image grew and he became a symbol of the Community. Peter is firm in faith not because of his own merits, but because Jesus prays for him, in order that his faith would not fail (Lk 22, 31-34).
- Church, Assembly. The word Church, in Greek eklésia, appears 105 times in the New Testament, almost exclusively in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles. In the Gospels it appears three times, only in Matthew. The word literally means “convoked” or “chosen”. It indicates the people who gather together, convoked by the Word of God and, who try to live the message of the Kingdom which Jesus brings. The Church or the community is not the Kingdom, but it is an instrument and a sign or indication of the Kingdom. The Kingdom is greater. In the Church, in the community, it should appear in the eyes of all what happens when a human group allows God to reign and allows him to take possession of our life.
- The keys of the Kingdom. Peter receives the keys of the Kingdom. This same power of uniting or binding and of separating or loosening is also given to the communities (Mt 18, 18) and to the other disciples (Jn 20, 23). One of the points in which the Gospel of Matthew insists the most is reconciliation and pardon or forgiveness. It is one of the more important tasks of the coordinators of the communities. Imitating Peter, they should bind and loose, that is, do in such a way that there be reconciliation, reciprocal acceptance, construction of the fraternal spirit.

4) Personal questions

• Which are the opinions in our community regarding Jesus? These differences in the way of living and of expressing faith, do they enrich the community or do they make the journey and communion more difficult? Why?
• Who is Jesus for me? Who am I for Jesus?

5) Concluding Prayer

Turn your ear to me, make haste.
Be for me a rock-fastness,
a fortified citadel to save me.
You are my rock, my rampart;
true to your name, lead me and guide me! (Ps 31,2-3)

www.ocarm.org