MASS READINGS AND MEDITATION | AUGUST 23, 2020 | Fr. Ed Broom, OMV Oblates of the Virgin Mary

Photo: Flag of Vatican City. The Vatican coat of arms lies within the white band of the flag. It depicts the papal tiara above crossed gold and silver keys (the Keys to Heaven given by Jesus to St. Peter). The gold key represents spiritual power and the silver worldly power. The silver key always points towards the yellow band of the flag. A red cord connects the two keys, which according to vatican.va: “alludes to the bond between the two powers.”

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

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23^rd Mt. 16: 13-20 “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’”

Simon responds: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus says, “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.”

Reflection on Peter by Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, now known as Father Simeon, Cistercian monk…

Out on the stormy lake Jesus already accomplished for the private person of Peter what He now promises He will accomplish for the whole Church through Peter. Peter can show the Church how to battle against death because he knows what it is like to have been almost swallowed up by death. Out of this experience came the permanent awareness in Peter that the only thing stronger than the destructiveness of death is the saving presence of the Lord.

Peter has already hit rock bottom and out of the depths of his despair has prayed the essential prayer: “Lord, save me!” His authority henceforth rests on the unique power possessed by someone who, having been lost, has been saved and can thus show the path of salvation to others.

In a moment Peter will be called “Satan” by Jesus for thoughtlessly rejecting the need for the Passion. We will then have to remember that Christ, as one who knows the heart of man only too well, is here promising Peter in advance that even his personal errors and infidelities cannot be stronger than the foundation that Christ is establishing through him and on him.

It is clearly Christ’s own choice and action, together with Peter’s own bitter experience of personal insufficiency, that make Peter indefectible (indestructible and unchanging). It appears that Peter’s only personal talent is for bravado and instability. But if death itself, by Christ’s promise, cannot “prevail against the Church” and the will of God, all the less can Peter’s weaknesses and blindness invalidate Christ’s mandate!

So Peter as Pope and his successors (and there have been 266 including Pope Francis) are indefectible (indestructible and unchanging) guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit when they speak on matters of faith, doctrine, and morals. If death itself, by Christ’s promise, cannot “prevail against the Church” and the will of God, neither can any “weaknesses and blindness” of 266 Popes in succession invalidate Christ’s mandate!
Furthermore, the Bishops speaking in union with the Pope, and only in union with the Pope, also speak infallibly on matters of faith, doctrine, and morals. The Bishops on their own and in contradiction to the Pope do not speak infallibly. The essential visible person on earth is the Pope – the Vicar of Christ, Vicarius Christi!

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

CCC 881: The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the “rock” of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock. “The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head (LG).” This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church’s very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.

CCC 882: The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, “is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful (LG).” “For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered (LG).”

CCC 883: “The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, as its head (LG).” As such, this college has “supreme and full authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff (LG).”

Editor’s Note: LG stands for Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church – “The Mystery of the Church”.

The four major constitutions of Vatican Council II are: Lumen Gentium (The Church), Sacrosanctum Concilium (Sacred Liturgy), Dei verbum (Divine Revelation), and Gaudium et spes (The Modern World). It is incumbent on all Catholics to read these four major documents of the Church Council.

Jesus asked His disciples this question, and now Jesus is asking you this question: “Who do you say that I am?”

First, do I recognize Christ is Head of the Church in Heaven and the Pope is the Vicar of Christ and head of the Church on earth? When the Pope speaks on matters of faith, doctrine, and morals, do I hear Jesus speaking to me? This is Church teaching. Beg for the grace to receive our Holy Father’s teachings on faith, doctrine, and morals as coming from Christ Himself. Pray for the Pope daily!
Second, who is Jesus to me? Who has He been to me in the past? Who He is to me now? How has my relationship with Jesus changed over time? How do I feel about this? Talk to Jesus about this. This is prayer. Looking at my life with Jesus, asking Him to walk with me, to help me do the good that He has called me to do – in my work and family life, in my prayer and penitential life, in my Sacramental life. Ask Him for encouragement and strength along the way!
With every Confession and every Holy Communion (hopefully both are frequent) ask Jesus to help you love Him more and more! Every day ask Our Blessed Mother to help you draw closer to her Son, Jesus – a prayer she never fails to answer!
Finally, trust Jesus to do what you cannot do… Read these thoughts written by a saint and be encouraged!

Jesus Calls Us Over And Over Again by Saint Cardinal Henry Newman

For in truth we are not called once only, but many times; all through our life Christ is calling us. He called us first in Baptism; but afterwards also; whether we obey His voice or not, He graciously calls us still. If we fall from our Baptism, He calls us to repent; if we are striving to fulfill our calling, He calls us on from grace to grace, and from holiness to holiness, while life is given us.

Abraham was called from his home, Peter from his nets, Matthew from his office, Elisha from his farm, Nathanael from his retreat; we are all in the course of calling, on and on, from one thing to another, having no resting-place, but mounting towards our eternal rest, and obeying one command only to have another put upon us.

He calls us again and again, in order to justify us again and again—and again and again, and more and more, to sanctify and glorify us.

End of Reflection.