Thursday,
February 22, 2018
Feast of the Chair of Peter
1st Reading: 1 P 5:1–4
Gospel: Mt 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)
There are many religions, and we are confused which one Jesus established. Today’s Gospel reading is enlightening. Jesus hands over to Peter the keys of heaven. It is a symbolic act granting Peter some powers. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah already mentions about the putting to someone’s shoulders of the key to the House of David (Isaiah 22:22). The Book of Revelation also cites a message coming from the holy and faithful one “who has the key to David’s house so that when he opens nobody can close and when he closes nobody can open” (Rev. 3:7).
Jesus now gives the key to Peter to pursue his plan to build his Church upon the foundation of this Apostle. “Church” in Hebrew is “Qahal” which is “Ekklesia” in Greek. It was used to refer to the community of the chosen people especially the remnants of the desert community such as the Essenes of Qumran. In today’s Gospel Jesus uses the term to refer to the community under the covenant to be sealed with his Blood. By using the term “Church” (verse 18) in conjunction with the term “kingdom of heaven” (verse 19), Jesus exposed his desire that the heavenly kingdom should begin here on earth as an organized society founded on Peter as head (see footnotes at the Jerusalem Bible).
The criterion in determining which among many churches Jesus had established is the handing over of his chair (symbol of his authority). To whom did he bequeath the chair? Popes have succeeded him. Popes like Peter err because they are human. But in the exercise of that authority inherited from Peter they are infallible. The Lord provided for this to make sure that his people gets to heaven to form that eschatological community in the kingdom of God. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
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