Homily (Reflection) for The Chair of
Saint Peter, Ap, Feast (22nd February, 2016) on the Gospel and the
Feast
(Monday of the Second Week of Lent)
1Pt 5:1-4;
Ps 22 (R.v.1); Matt 16:13-19.
The Chair of Saint
Peter (Cathedra Petri), also
known as the Throne of Saint Peter, is a relic conserved
in St. Peter’s Basilica. It is a symbol of the authority of the Bishop of
Rome (Pope) as Vicar of
Christ and successor of Saint Peter. This feast was celebrated on January
18 and February 22. In 1960 however Pope John
XXIII removed from the General Roman Calendar eight feast days that
were second feasts of a single saint or mystery: one of them was the January 18
feast of the Chair of Peter[1].
Topic: Beyond flesh and blood.
In today’s gospel Jesus asked His disciples of the people’s
view of Himself. They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah,
and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matt 16:14). Afterwards, Jesus asked them, “But who do you say that
I am?” (Matt 16:15). To this Peter declared,
“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). And in return Jesus said to him,
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has
not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are
Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not
prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt
16:17-19).
The feast of the Chair of Saint Peter is among other things a
symbol of the unity of the church Christ founded on Saint Peter when He said,
“you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church”. Peter is blessed
because it was not flesh and blood that revealed to him the divinity of Jesus
Christ, but our Father in heaven.
It is important therefore to go beyond flesh and blood in
following God lest we continue to either follow hearsay or our own wills. And none
of these can make us to be blessed. God wants all of us to worship Him in
Spirit and in truth, cf. Jn 4:24. Let
no one be carried away by all sorts of strange doctrines, cf. Heb 13:9. Many today across
denominations teach human will often carefully dressed with God’s word as the
word of God, cf. Matt 15:9. We must
ensure that we worship God and not man. And every leader must also remember
that the day of reckoning is fast approaching for everyone to give account of his
or her words and actions, cf. Heb 13:17.
Bible Reading: Heb 13:1-19; 1Jn 2:18-28.
Thought for today: What teachings do you follow – human or God’s?
Let us pray: Lord, reveal to us your Son Jesus
Christ to enable us follow the road to blessedness – Amen.
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Saint Peter the apostle – Pray for us.
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