Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” Jesus asked them, “But you, who
do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied,
“It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you, but my
Father in heaven. And now I say to you: You are Peter; and on this Rock I will build my Church;
and never will the powers of death overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth shall be
unbound in heaven.”
Reflect
Peter and Paul are models for all of us called to be missionary disciples. Both the good and the
bad about these men are well-known. Despite his protests otherwise, Peter’s fear led him to
deny Jesus three times. Paul actually persecuted those who followed Jesus. He was complicit
in Stephen’s murder and organized a persecution intended to bring Christians to Jerusalem in
chains. Yet a few years later, both men gave their lives for their faith. How can we explain
this transformation and what does it mean for us? First, neither man made the change on his
own. God’s grace gave them the strength and courage they needed to cast their fears aside
and to proclaim the Gospel. Similarly, we can open our hearts to allow God’s grace to
transform us. Second, Peter and Paul relied on God’s mercy, confessing their failings
and asking for his forgiveness. We can do the same. Finally, both Peter and Paul
encountered Jesus and shared the fruits of that encounter with everyone they met. We can
follow their example, encountering Jesus in his Church, his Word, and his sacraments, and
sharing the fruit of that encounter with our brothers and sisters.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023