MASS READINGS AND MEDITATION | JUNE 29, 2020

In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
“Get up quickly.”
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”
He did so.
Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
“Now I know for certain
that the Lord sent his angel
and rescued me from the hand of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”

R. (5) The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever.  Amen.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.”

CHAPTER ONE
MAN’S CAPACITY FOR GOD

I. The Desire for God

27 The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:

The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator.

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

MONDAY, JUNE 29^TH Mt. 16: 13-19 “Who do you say that I am?”  Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

REFLECTION ON THE CHURCH OF CHRIST…  By Pope Francis

We are celebrating the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, principal patrons of the Church of Rome: a celebration made all the more joyful by the presence of bishops from throughout the world. A great wealth, which makes us in some sense relive the event of Pentecost. Today, as then, the faith of the Church speaks in every tongue and desires to unite all peoples in one family.

I would like to offer three thoughts on the Petrine ministry, guided by the word “confirm”. What has the Bishop of Rome been called to confirm? 

 FIRST, TO CONFIRM IN FAITH…

The Gospel speaks of the confession of Peter: You are Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt 16:16), a confession which does not come from him but from our Father in heaven. Because of this confession, Jesus replies: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church (Mt 16:18). The role, the ecclesial service of Peter, is founded upon his confession of faith in Jesus, the Son of the living God, made possible by a grace granted from on high.

Next we see the peril of thinking in worldly terms. When Jesus speaks of His Death and Resurrection, of the path of God which does not correspond to the human path of power – flesh and blood re-emerge in Peter: He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him. This must never happen to you (Mt 16:22). Jesus’ response is harsh: Get thee behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me (Mt 16:23).

Whenever we let our thoughts, our feelings, or the logic of human power prevail, and we do not let ourselves be taught and guided by faith, by God, we become stumbling blocks. Faith in Christ is the light of our life as Christians and as ministers in the Church!

SECOND, TO CONFIRM IN LOVE…

In the second reading we hear the moving words of Saint Paul: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Tim 4:7). But what is this fight? It is not one of those fights fought with human weapons which sadly continue to cause bloodshed throughout the world; rather, it is the fight of martyrdom.

Saint Paul has but one weapon: the message of Christ and the gift of his entire life for Christ and others. It is precisely this readiness to lay himself open, personally, to be consumed for the sake of the Gospel, to make himself all things to all people, unstintingly, that gives him credibility and builds up the Church.

The Bishop of Rome is called himself to live and to confirm his brothers and sisters in this love of Christ and for all others, without distinction, limits, or barriers. And not only the Bishop of Rome: each of you have the same task: to let yourselves be consumed by the Gospel, to become all things to everyone. It is your task to hold nothing back, to go outside of yourselves in the service of the faithful and holy people of God.

The whole purpose of preaching the Gospel is to answer this question. The answer to every other question is contained in the answer to this question. Simon has the answer. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.”

Then Christ, the Son of the living God says, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” These words determine the vocation and the destiny of Simon Peter. From the beginning, his position in the Church is that of a rock – a firm foundation – on which an edifice is to be built. See these words of Jesus applied to the Church on her earthly pilgrimage – “and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.”

Imagine how deeply moving this scene is to the disciples who witness it – who are familiar with the Jewish Scriptures. God changes the name of the first Patriarch. “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.” He changes the name of Jacob to Israel. “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”Now the Son of God changes the name of Simon to Peter as the Vicar of Christ on earth.

But Peter does not change as quickly as his name. Jesus rebukes Peter saying, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” when he protests the prophecy of Jesus’ Passion and death. Jesus tells Peter to put away his sword after he cuts off the ear of the high priest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus looks at Peter with a piercing and sorrowful gaze after he denies Christ three times. The risen Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” And then tells him to “Feed my lambs… Tend my sheep… Feed my sheep.” 

Then He prophesies about Peter, “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.  Follow me.”

With all his faults and weakness, Jesus knows Peter will be ready to assume his position as Vicar of Christ; visible head of the Mystical Body of Christ; Holy Father of the one true Church of Jesus Christ! All that is necessary is the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

THIRD, TO CONFIRM IN UNITY…

Here I would like to reflect for a moment on the rite which we have carried out. The pallium is a symbol of communion with the Successor of Peter, “the lasting and visible source and foundation of the unity both of faith and of communion” (Lumen Gentium, 18). And your presence today, dear brothers, is the sign that the Church’s communion does not mean uniformity. The Second Vatican Council, in speaking of the hierarchical structure of the Church, states that the Lord “established the apostles as college or permanent assembly, at the head of which He placed Peter, chosen from their number” (ibid., 19). And it continues, “this college, in so far as it is composed of many members, is the expression of the variety and universality of the people of God” (ibid., 22). In the Church, variety, which is itself a great treasure, is always grounded in the harmony of unity, like a great mosaic in which every small piece joins with others as part of God’s one great plan. This should inspire us to work always to overcome every conflict which wounds the body of the Church. United in our differences: this is the way of Jesus! The pallium, while being a sign of communion with the Bishop of Rome and with the universal church, also commits each of you to being a servant of communion.

To confess the Lord by letting oneself be taught by God; to be consumed by love for Christ and His Gospel; to be servants of unity. These, dear brother bishops, are the tasks which the holy apostles Peter and Paul entrust to each of us, so that they can be lived by every Christian. May the holy Mother of God guide us and accompany us always with her Intercession. Queen of Apostles, pray for us! Amen.

End of Reflection by Pope Francis

HOW ARE WE CALLED TO LIVE OUT THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH???

As Pope Francis says:

God sends the Holy Spirit to bring about the same transformation in of each one of us that He wrought in Peter and the Apostles on Pentecost! All He needs is our cooperation with His grace by letting oneself be taught by the Holy Spirit; to be consumed by love for Christ and His Gospel; to be servants of unity in our families, in our Church, in our world!