February 22, 2013

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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.

St. Peter addresses the Priests of the Church and instructs them to guide their congregations to do righteousness.  Thus leading them to heaven and they themselves will receive a crown in heaven if they do so. 

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.

God is my guide.  There is nothing I will need because He will provide.  I will rest in  His paradise.  When I am with Him, I am at peace.

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.

I am not afraid of the unknown nor of any wicked thing, because your power gives me strength.

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.

In the view of all my enemies, you provide what I need.  Your blessings are so numerous that they exceed all my expectations.

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.

Your love is with me always.  I will always stay with you, all the days of my life.

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.”

Jesus asked His students, "who do the people think that I am?"

They answered, "They think you are either John the Baptist come back from the dead, or Elijah or one of the other great 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.”

Then Jesus asked, "Who do you think that I am?"

And Peter, without hesitation, said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of 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.

Jesus said to Peter, "This is an indication that you are elected by my Father.  Because this answer could not have come from you but from my Father in heaven."

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.” 

"Therefore, you are called "Peter" the Rock.  And upon you I will build my Church and hell will never prevail against it.  I will also give you my keys to the Kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you decide for or against, will be ratified in heaven. "

The first thing to remember about this, is that it is a metaphor.  St. Peter did not become a block of stone upon which the Church was edified.  However, St. Peter is the first member of the Church the way a headstone is the first stone of an edifice.  By his strength, he is expected to sustain the nascent Church.  Jesus says it again here:

Luke 22:30-32
King James Version (KJV)
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Jesus also appoints Simon as the Shepherd of His flock.  For the same reason.  He is supposed to keep the flock together and take care of the flock, which is the Church of Jesus Christ:

John 21:17
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.