From the responsorial psalm: “A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. Create a clean heart in me, O God.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 16:13-23)
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.” 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.”
Peter responds to Jesus in a unique way by proclaiming his divine identity. Although the other disciples fail to make their belief explicit, only Peter expresses it to Jesus in this way. Jesus tells him he recognizes this because of divine revelation, not for anything human experience has taught him. Jesus then declares that Peter is the rock upon which he will build His Church. Today’s Gospel gives us Peter’s example of faith, being open to God’s revelations in our lives. In the words of Jesus, it also reveals the primacy of Peter and his successors, the popes, as the leaders of the Church. How easy it is to slip back into the shadows of half-truths sprung from human fears, as when Peter rebukes Jesus for revealing to the disciples the suffering he is about to experience. Jesus sharply reminds Peter, and all of us, not to be misled by fear, suffering, and the darkness of death: “Get behind me, Satan!” Jesus says to Peter, “You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
God, help me examine the two paths laid out in today’s Gospel and take to heart the conclusion the trustworthy expression “You are God and I am not.” Peter immediately rejected your divine plan that Jesus laid out in explicit detail. He would suffer greatly at the hands of others and be killed. The few words that follow are easy to miss: “and on the third day be raised.” As Jesus strengthened Peter’s faith by telling him “You are thinking not as God does,” strengthen my faith in trusting in your Son and in his triumph over sin and death. As Peter put it: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Lord, what can I do but try again and again to let go of my ways and all the anxieties associated with them? As Saint Dominic said: “Whatever troubles may be before you, accept them bravely, remembering Whom you are trying to follow. Do not be afraid.” Saint Dominic, 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.