“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Daily Reflections
Wednesday, 22nd February 2017,
Seventh Week in the Ordinary Time
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle
1Pet 5:1-4;
Ps 23: 1-6;
Mt 16:13-19
AUTHORITY FOR SERVICE!
Peter’s confession and Jesus’ passion prediction mark a turning point. From this point on there is no turning back for Jesus, for Peter, and even for us. Today we celebrate a very interesting feast: the Chair of St Peter. This feast is not exactly in honour of a person, as most are, nor of an event, as others are, but of a chair. Of course we are not commemorating a piece of furniture today; the chair in question is “chair” like “chairman”, a position, an office. We celebrate today the founding of the position of the leader of the Church. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church; this office in no way replaces his office of high priest and king. God did not need Noah to build the ark, and he did not need Simon Peter to lead the Church. He chose to allow us humans, positions of dignity, as co-operators of his grace.
Peter made the profession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”, and after this profession, Jesus renames him Caephas, which in Greek is Petros. Jesus bestowed to Peter a special place among the Apostles. He was one of the three who were with Christ on special occasions, such as the Transfiguration of Christ and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was the only Apostle to whom Christ appeared on the first day after the Resurrection. Peter, in turn, often spoke on behalf of the Apostles, was often the first to answer. However, he was not without faults and was thus reproached often by Christ.
The Church in its 2000 years of history has seen glorious events, challenging conflicts, turbulent times and dark moments. But the very fact that the Church has survived those moments only goes to show that the Pope (successor of St Peter) draws his authority from Christ, and that the Spirit of Christ is even today guiding the Church.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the gift of the Pope and help him exercise his authority through service. We pray for Pope Francis and the Bishops who exercise your authority by teaching us your doctrine and good news. We pray that you protect them from sin and temptation of this glamorous world. May they guide us all as true shepherds into Your kingdom. Jesus I trust in You. Amen.
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