REFLECTIONS TODAY
The main church in a diocese is the cathedral, and every cathedral has a cathedra, a bishop’s seat or chair, which symbolizes his authority as teacher and leader of the Christian community.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the Pharisees who have taken their seat on the “chair of Moses,” referring to their authority and expertise to teach the Mosaic Law.
Today’s celebration of the Chair of Peter refers to the “power of the keys” given by Jesus to Simon Peter after the apostle confesses him as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
Peter’s supreme pastoral office, called the papacy, is passed to each successor as Bishop of Rome. Peter, the first occupant of this office, was far from perfect.
He denied Jesus three times; he was hesitant to welcome the Gentiles into the new Church, and Paul once opposed him when he stopped eating with the Gentile converts because he did not want to hurt the sensibilities of Jewish Christians.
But the Pope has the grace of office to preside over the faithful in charity. Some occupants of the Chair have stumbled a bit, and others have failed scandalously. But still the office endures, solid as a rock on which the Church stands.
First Reading • 1 Pt 5:1-4
Beloved: I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.
Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Responsorial Psalm • Ps 23
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
Gospel • Matthew 16:13-19
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.”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.