"You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."
Mt 16:13-20
Rev. Alexander Diaz
Today’s liturgy is rich in content and in meaning because we hear about two significant events; knowing Jesus in His fullness and who He really is and the second event is the institution of Peter who was given the power to bind and loose as head of the Apostolic College.
Jesus asked his disciples what people thought of Him and His personality. Not an easy question to answer because there was a risk of answering something foolish and pointless. Today it is Jesus who asks - "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
He does not ask, "What do the scribes and Pharisees says I am?" They were the experts, those who really knew what to expect in the difficult and complicated subjects of faith. He asks "Who do people say ..." he was talking about those who surrounded him, who had heard Him preaching and performing miracles, we can say that they were really in direct contact with Him.
The Pharisees despised people and it is Jesus himself who wants to hear the voice of the despised. Many times we forget those voices that implore those that can help and light up our way of life of faith. You may even believe that the saints are always away from us, far from our lives and our reality.
As we heard in the gospel, the answers about his identity varied; all have their own opinion about Him, and all see Him according to their convenience, sadly but that’s how it is. And sadly, until today it remains a controversy alive in the midst of humanity.
For some He is the first communist, for others a good psychologist and teacher, others see it as a revolutionary leader, but He is much, much more than that ... The Lord goes much further and now it's up to them, his intimate friends to define to their master: “But who do you say that I am?" A new question has another completely different content. It is more intimate. It's a closed circle with which he has summoned them and explained the parables.
Peter responds on behalf of the others. When He asked about the people, it was the disciples who responded, now it is Peter who becomes the spokesman of the group and makes a confession of faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Immediately Jesus called him Blessed (happy) because he had grasp exactly who is the Lord.
The sages of Israel did not capture what Peter and the Apostles themselves could grasp. They were wise and rational, but the simple and humble whom the Father reveals its mysteries. So show them who is your Son. (Matt. 11: 25)
To reason is to be in a sincere search for the truth, as the sterile arguments do not lead anywhere. We need simplicity, humility, spiritual childhood, to learn the secrets of God and to realize where God is. A living faith, fervent, persevering, unyielding only comes from God and only comes to those who are open to this gift. And the key that opens our hearts and minds to the things of God is humility.
Jesus rewards the apostle with words that resonate for eternity and have been disputed by many, although I've never understood why they do it is less clear if there is no room for discussion.
"You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church, the powers of death can never win..." (Mt.16, 18). Jesus speaks of His Church as something he was going to build, it is divine and not human. And promises that no force, even those in Hell will destroy his work.
"What you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven," which is to say: whatever you decide on the earth, will be decided well in Heaven. The decisions you make, must be approved by me. Prior approval from me in Heaven at all what you decide on the earth over my church. This weighed on Peter and all the popes after him, had to have special assistance.
Jesus builds his Church with the constant presence of his Holy Spirit to the end, as rational in a world like ours, it seems difficult to understand and accept. But it is. Christ founded His Church as well. He promised to be with her until the end. "I am with you always until the end of the age" (Mt. 28, 20)
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