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Message from the desk of the Pastor:

STS. PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES

Sunday, June 29, 2025

Gospel Reading 

Matthew 16:13-19

You are Peter; and I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Mark places this incident at Caesarea Philippi. Luke, because of the importance he wishes to give to prayer in his Gospel, places it in the context of Jesus praying. But Matthew keeps it at Caesarea Philippi. In today's Gospel, Jesus asks the disciples    for a “field report” by asking what people are saying about him. He refers to himself as the Son of Man, a term derived from the Jewish Scriptures, found in the book of Daniel and in other apocryphal writings. Many scholars suggest that “Son of Man”      is best understood to mean “human being.”

As Jesus turns the question directly to the disciples and asks what they believe,  Peter speaks for all of them when he announces that they believe Jesus to be the Christ. “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for “messiah,” which means “the anointed one.” At the time of Jesus, the image of the “messiah” was laden with popular expectations, most of which looked for a political leader who would free the Jewish people from Roman occupation.

Because Jesus has referred to himself a number of times in Matthew by Christological titles this moment is not the revelation of who Jesus is as in Mark. Instead it marks an important moment in the development of the Church. Jesus    uses this occasion to bless Peter, who represents all the disciples but also has a unique role to play in the founding of the new community. Peter is blessed not because of a personal insight but because God revealed to him who Jesus is.      Peter is the rock on which Jesus will build the Church.

Family Connection

In today's Gospel, Jesus refers to Peter as “Rock” and says that the Church will be built upon him. We refer to someone as a “rock” when they are very reliable. Talk      as a family about who has been and is a rock in your extended family.

The Gospel reminds us that the Church is built on the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. It is faith that makes Peter the Rock upon which the Church is built. The  family, as the domestic church, has this same faith as its foundation.

Talk about people whose faith has helped you to be a member of the Church and    talk about what you have learned from leaders in our Church today. Read together today's Gospel, Matthew 16:13-20. Talk about what you know about Peter and his importance to the early Christian community. Talk about what we can learn from Peter and his profession of faith about Jesus. Conclude in prayer together by    praying today's Psalm or an Act of Faith.