A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 16:13-19)
[Jesus] 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.”
Jesus questions the disciples about his identity, as if to gather a consensus of the people. Some of the disciples tell Jesus that people believe he is John the Baptist or Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Peter speaks up, taking no notice of the people’s opinion. “You are the Christ,” he says, “the Son of the living God.” Knowledge revealed to him by God, Peter’s profession of faith expressed to Jesus and the other disciples what he knew interiorly. In that moment, papal authority and its succession was born. As Peter acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah, he receives from Jesus the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. The source of that authority comes not from flesh and blood but from God the Father.
Father in heaven, you revealed to Peter supernatural insight to recognize the divine identity of Jesus your Son. Despite Peter’s human limitations, he received through revelation the Savior and Redeemer. While I use the gifts of reason and knowledge to recognize you as the living God, grant me the grace to trust that you reveal knowledge also through docility toward the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith, supernatural sight, that glimpses the beatific vision! It sees in the Eucharist what is invisible but real and incorporates into one’s being the Son of the Living God.
From the verse before the Gospel: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” Saint Peter, pray for us!
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.