the lake

june 29, 2005

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul Mt 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi 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 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."

I will give to you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Peter is the rock that the Church, the body of Christ, is built on. This Saint understood Jesus because he was given the grace of faith from God, the Father.

The power of the Kingdom of God is shared with Peter who is able to loose on earth what is loosed in heaven. To me this means to forgive sins and show mercy. The Church is able to be an instrument of reconcilliation with God for people and pardon their wrongs showing the mercy and forgiveness of God. What is loosed is the binds or fetters of darkness and sin.

Peter is the rock. His name means rock. A steady support in a changing earthly existence. The Church is the one thing that our anchor of hope needs to be connected to in order to prevail in times of trial and strife. The faith is there within us given from God, it takes an openness to experience it and follow God. I feel close to Peter. He was so impulse, made so many mistakes, even denied Christ three times and he is the rock that our Church is built on. A simple working person who loved Jesus deeply in spite of all his own personal failings. Who saw the divinity of Jesus through the simple eyes of faith. I pray today for the faith and love of St Peter to carry me through the day that I may live my life today in love with kindnes and mercy toward others in all ways.