A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 16:13-20)
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.”
In today’s Gospel, Peter confesses the identity of Jesus as the Son of God when few others recognized that. Among the disciples, he spoke in response to Jesus’ question “But who do you say that I am?” Jesus affirms Peter’s declaration, acknowledging that this revelation did not come from human knowledge but from God the Father. Jesus then bestows a significant blessing on Peter as the rock on which the Church is built and the one who has unique authority over it. All of that follows in the emergence of the Church stems from God’s divine revelation to Peter.
God, help me recognize the authority given to Peter in the moment Jesus speaks to him. It continues to this day in apostolic succession throughout the ages, starting from Peter and continuing unbroken to Pope Francis. This authority to bind and loose, given to Peter by your Son, is understood as the power to make authoritative decisions and judgments in matters of faith and morals within the Church. Help me be obedient to the teachings of the Church, fully recognizing its divine origins and trusting in the guidance of Pope Francis and the bishops whose vocation is to live in your love and continually answer Jesus’ question “But who do you say that I am?”
From the responsorial psalm: “I will give thanks to your name, because of your kindness and your truth: When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.