Book of Isaiah 22,19-23. Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace: "I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station. On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open. I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family."
Psalms 138(137) ,1-2a.2bc-3.6.8. I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple.
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.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar. The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands.
Letter to the Romans 11,33-36. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?" For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 16,13-20.
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, 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." Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
This Sunday’s Gospel reading (cf. Mt 16:13-20) presents the moment in which Peter professes his faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. This Apostle’s confession is provoked by Jesus himself, who wishes to lead his disciples to take the decisive step in their relationship with him. Indeed, Jesus’ entire journey with those who follow him, especially with the Twelve, is a journey of educating their faith. First of all, he asks: “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” (v. 13). The Apostles liked to talk about people, as we all do. We like to gossip. Speaking about others is not so demanding; this is why we like it; even ‘flaying’ others. In this case the perspective of faith rather than gossip is already required, and so he asks, ‘What do the people say that I am?’. And the disciples seem to compete in reporting the different opinions, which perhaps, to a large extent, they themselves shared. They too shared them. In essence, Jesus of Nazareth was considered a prophet (v. 14).
With the second question, Jesus touches them to the core: “But who do you say that I am?” (v. 15). At this point, we seem to perceive a moment of silence, as each one of those present is called to put themselves on the line, manifesting the reason why they follow Jesus; therefore a certain hesitation is more than legitimate. Even if I were to ask you now, ‘For you, who is Jesus?’, there would be a little hesitation. Simon takes them off the hook by declaring forthrightly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). This answer, so complete and luminous, does not come from an impulse of his own, however generous — Peter was generous — but rather it is the fruit of a particular grace of the heavenly Father. Indeed, Jesus himself says to him: “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you” — that is, culture, what you have studied, no, this has not revealed it to you. It was revealed to you by “my Father who is in heaven” (v. 17). To confess Jesus is a grace of the Father. To say that Jesus is the Son of the living God, that he is the Redeemer, is a grace that we must ask for: “Father, give me the grace to confess Jesus”.
At the same time, the Lord acknowledges Simon’s prompt response to the inspiration of grace and therefore adds, in a solemn tone, “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (v. 18). With this affirmation, Jesus makes Simon understand the meaning of the new name He has given him, ‘Peter’: the faith he has just shown is the unshakeable ‘rock’ on which the Son of God wishes to build his Church, that is, the Community. And the Church goes forward always on the basis of Peter’s faith, that faith that Jesus recognizes [in Peter] and which makes him the head of the Church.
-->Today, we hear Jesus’ question directed to each one of us: ‘And you, who do you say I am?’. To each one of us. And each one of us must give not a theoretical answer, but one that involves faith, that is, life, because faith is life! ‘For me you are …’ and then to confess Jesus. An answer that demands from us too, as from the first disciples, inward listening to the voice of the Father and consonance with what the Church, gathered around Peter, continues to proclaim. It is a matter of understanding who Christ is for us: whether he is the centre of our life, whether he is the goal of our commitment in the Church, of our commitment in society. Who is Jesus Christ for me? Who is Jesus Christ for you, for you, for you …? An answer that we should give every day.
But beware: it is indispensable and praiseworthy that the pastoral care of our communities be open to the many forms of poverty and plights that are everywhere. Charity is always the high road of the journey of faith, of the perfection of faith. But it is necessary that works of solidarity, the works of charity that we carry out, not divert us from contact with the Lord Jesus. Christian charity is not simple philanthropy but, on the one hand, it is looking at others through the very eyes of Jesus and, on the other hand, it is seeing Jesus in the face of the poor. This is the true path of Christian charity, with Jesus at the centre, always. May Mary Most Holy, blessed because she believed, be our guide and model on the path of faith in Christ, and make us aware that trust in him gives full meaning to our charity and to all our existence.
->The promise is valid for the time that remains. God's faithfulness guarantees Peter's faith, in which he will then confirm his brothers and sisters. Peter's role is that of the stone on which the Community that professes this faith is built. On the base of the gift of faith, Peter is given the pledge/commitment to say what conforms or does not conform to it, and, consequently, to declare who belongs to the Kingdom or not. To bind or dissolve means to prohibit and to permit, admit and exclude from the Community, authentically interpreting the Word. The authority in the Church is certainly not like that of the leaders of the nations, but the same of the Lord, who came to save and give Life. It is a service in faith and love, the principle of union and Life. It is necessary to see the production of "meaning" that the text has originated in the life of the disciples, to whom the Lord has promised to be always close, until the end of the world (Mt 28:20). In new and unprecedented situations, the same text produces new and unprecedented senses. The Son of Man is not the Christ who thinks Peter, but the one who will reveal himself immediately afterwards, and whom Peter will not want to accept. The Word of God lives and works in history by the power of the Spirit.
Book of Isaiah
RispondiElimina22,19-23.
Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace:
"I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station.
On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;
I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority.
He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.
I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family."
Psalms 138(137)
,1-2a.2bc-3.6.8.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple.
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.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees,
and the proud he knows from afar.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
Letter to the
Romans 11,33-36.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!
"For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?"
"Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?"
For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Matthew 16,13-20.
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Messiah, 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."
Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
POPE FRANCIS
RispondiEliminaANGELUS 23 August 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
This Sunday’s Gospel reading (cf. Mt 16:13-20) presents the moment in which Peter professes his faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. This Apostle’s confession is provoked by Jesus himself, who wishes to lead his disciples to take the decisive step in their relationship with him. Indeed, Jesus’ entire journey with those who follow him, especially with the Twelve, is a journey of educating their faith. First of all, he asks: “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” (v. 13). The Apostles liked to talk about people, as we all do. We like to gossip. Speaking about others is not so demanding; this is why we like it; even ‘flaying’ others. In this case the perspective of faith rather than gossip is already required, and so he asks, ‘What do the people say that I am?’. And the disciples seem to compete in reporting the different opinions, which perhaps, to a large extent, they themselves shared. They too shared them. In essence, Jesus of Nazareth was considered a prophet (v. 14).
With the second question, Jesus touches them to the core: “But who do you say that I am?” (v. 15). At this point, we seem to perceive a moment of silence, as each one of those present is called to put themselves on the line, manifesting the reason why they follow Jesus; therefore a certain hesitation is more than legitimate. Even if I were to ask you now, ‘For you, who is Jesus?’, there would be a little hesitation. Simon takes them off the hook by declaring forthrightly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). This answer, so complete and luminous, does not come from an impulse of his own, however generous — Peter was generous — but rather it is the fruit of a particular grace of the heavenly Father. Indeed, Jesus himself says to him: “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you” — that is, culture, what you have studied, no, this has not revealed it to you. It was revealed to you by “my Father who is in heaven” (v. 17). To confess Jesus is a grace of the Father. To say that Jesus is the Son of the living God, that he is the Redeemer, is a grace that we must ask for: “Father, give me the grace to confess Jesus”.
At the same time, the Lord acknowledges Simon’s prompt response to the inspiration of grace and therefore adds, in a solemn tone, “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (v. 18). With this affirmation, Jesus makes Simon understand the meaning of the new name He has given him, ‘Peter’: the faith he has just shown is the unshakeable ‘rock’ on which the Son of God wishes to build his Church, that is, the Community. And the Church goes forward always on the basis of Peter’s faith, that faith that Jesus recognizes [in Peter] and which makes him the head of the Church.
-->Today, we hear Jesus’ question directed to each one of us: ‘And you, who do you say I am?’. To each one of us. And each one of us must give not a theoretical answer, but one that involves faith, that is, life, because faith is life! ‘For me you are …’ and then to confess Jesus. An answer that demands from us too, as from the first disciples, inward listening to the voice of the Father and consonance with what the Church, gathered around Peter, continues to proclaim. It is a matter of understanding who Christ is for us: whether he is the centre of our life, whether he is the goal of our commitment in the Church, of our commitment in society. Who is Jesus Christ for me? Who is Jesus Christ for you, for you, for you …? An answer that we should give every day.
RispondiEliminaBut beware: it is indispensable and praiseworthy that the pastoral care of our communities be open to the many forms of poverty and plights that are everywhere. Charity is always the high road of the journey of faith, of the perfection of faith. But it is necessary that works of solidarity, the works of charity that we carry out, not divert us from contact with the Lord Jesus. Christian charity is not simple philanthropy but, on the one hand, it is looking at others through the very eyes of Jesus and, on the other hand, it is seeing Jesus in the face of the poor. This is the true path of Christian charity, with Jesus at the centre, always. May Mary Most Holy, blessed because she believed, be our guide and model on the path of faith in Christ, and make us aware that trust in him gives full meaning to our charity and to all our existence.
->The promise is valid for the time that remains. God's faithfulness guarantees Peter's faith, in which he will then confirm his brothers and sisters. Peter's role is that of the stone on which the Community that professes this faith is built. On the base of the gift of faith, Peter is given the pledge/commitment to say what conforms or does not conform to it, and, consequently, to declare who belongs to the Kingdom or not. To bind or dissolve means to prohibit and to permit, admit and exclude from the Community, authentically interpreting the Word.
RispondiEliminaThe authority in the Church is certainly not like that of the leaders of the nations, but the same of the Lord, who came to save and give Life.
It is a service in faith and love, the principle of union and Life.
It is necessary to see the production of "meaning" that the text has originated in the life of the disciples, to whom the Lord has promised to be always close, until the end of the world (Mt 28:20). In new and unprecedented situations, the same text produces new and unprecedented senses.
The Son of Man is not the Christ who thinks Peter, but the one who will reveal himself immediately afterwards, and whom Peter will not want to accept.
The Word of God lives and works in history by the power of the Spirit.