June 29, 2018 Friday
Peter and Paul, Apostles
1st Reading: Acts 12:1–11
2nd Reading: 2 Tim 4:6–8, 17–18Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “What do people say of the Son of Man? Who do they say I am?” They said, “For some of them you are John the Baptist, for others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.“And now I say to you: You are Peter (or Rock) and on this rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and what you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
When Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” he was answering a question which Jesus addressed not just to him but to all the Apostles. But in approving Peter’s answer, Jesus was dealing with Peter alone. It was to Peter alone that Jesus conferred the role as rock foundation of the Church, and not to all the Apostles.
Jesus didn’t say he was building so many churches. Since he built only one, it follows that of the many church denominations that have mushroomed through time, only one of them could be the Church that Jesus founded, the one built with Peter as the rock foundation. Any church whose leader could not trace his succession to Peter could not be the Church Jesus built. So far historians agree that the popes serving the Catholic Church trace their succession all the way up to Peter. The Catholic Church may be deeply immersed in controversies but it is still the only Church whose leader can trace its succession all the way up to the Rock. Being so, the Catholic Church enjoys the abiding presence of Jesus who said, “I will be with you until the end of time.
Jesus’ promise of his abiding presence to the Church he was founding, the entrustment of the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter, and the assurance that “never will the powers of death overcome it” are the bases for the doctrine of infallibility which the Pope enjoys in his ex-cathedra teachings. Like Peter’s answer declared inspired by Jesus at Caesarea Philippi, the Pope’s ex-cathedra pronouncements are inspired and cannot be mistaken. Consequently those who embrace the Church as spiritual guide remain safe in this world of confusion. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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