Readings:
Isaiah 22:15, 19-23
Psalm 138:1-3, 6, 8
Romans 11:33-36
Matthew 16:13-20 (see also “Peter’s Powers”)
Chants
Scott Hahn with David Scott
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” Paul exclaims in this week’s Epistle. Sunday’s Psalm, too, takes up the triumphant note of joy and thanksgiving. Why? Because in the Gospel, the heavenly Father reveals the mystery of His kingdom to Peter.
With Peter, we rejoice that Jesus is the anointed son promised to David, the one prophesied to build God’s temple and reign over an everlasting kingdom (see 2 Samuel 7).
What Jesus calls “my Church” is the kingdom promised to David’s son (see Isaiah 9:1-7). As we hear in Sunday’s First Reading, Isaiah foretold that the keys to David’s kingdom would be given to a new master, who would rule as father to God’s people.
Jesus, the root and offspring of David, alone holds the kingdom’s keys (see Revelation 1:18; 3:7; 22:16). In giving those keys to Peter, Jesus fulfills that prophecy, establishing Peter—and all who succeed him—as holy father of His Church.
His Church, too, is the new house of God—the spiritual temple founded on the “rock” of Peter, and built up out of the living stones of individual believers (see 1 Peter 2:5).
Abraham was called “the rock” from which the children of Israel were hewn (see Isaiah 51:1-2). And Peter becomes the rock from which God raises up new children of God (see Matthew 3:9).
The word Jesus uses—“church” (ekklesia in Greek)—was used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament for the “assembly” of God’s children after the exodus (see Deuteronomy 18:16; 31:30).
His Church is the “assembly of the firstborn” (see Hebrews 12:23; Exodus 4:23-24), established by Jesus’ exodus (see Luke 9:31).
Like the Israelites, we are baptized in water, led by the Rock, and fed with spiritual food (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-5).
Gathered at His altar, in the presence of angels, we sing His praise and give thanks to His holy name.
Peter’s Powers
In the Gospel for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus gives Peter the “keys to the kingdom of heaven” and the powers to “bind and loose.”
In this He fulfills a prophecy of Isaiah (see Isaiah 22:15-24). In the Davidic kingdom, the king appointed a prime minister to handle the kingdom’s day-to-day affairs. Peter is being appointed prime minister of the restored kingdom of David, the Church.
The “keys” are a symbol of the king’s power, authority, and control (see Revelation 1:18; 3:7).
The reference to “binding” and “loosing” is a familiar allusion to the rabbis’ powers to declare what is permitted and what is not permitted. As prime minister of the kingdom of heaven, Peter is being made “chief rabbi,” with ultimate authority to teach and to declare what will be allowed and what will not.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for locking the kingdom of heaven and barring entrance to those trying to enter (see Matthew 23:13).
In the new kingdom, their authority has been given to Peter (see also Matthew 21:43). In the Church—a kingdom both earthly and temporal and heavenly and eternal—Peter and his successors will bind and loose, opening the gates of salvation for all who would enter.
And in the Book of Acts, Peter is clearly shown as the Church’s chief teacher (4:1-22), preacher (2:14-42), judge (5:1-11), healer (5:15), and administrator (1:15-26).
St. Hilary (c.315-367)
Commentary on St Matthew’s Gospel, 16
The Lord had asked: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” To be sure, his bodily appearance made known the Son of Man but, in putting this question, he led people to understand that there was something else to be discerned over and above what could be seen… The object of the question was a mystery towards which the faith of the believer had to tend.
Peter’s confession was fully recompensed as he deserved for having seen the Son of God within the man. “Blessed” is he, indeed, and praised for having penetrated beyond merely human sight, not looking to that which comes of flesh and blood but beholding the Son of God revealed by his heavenly Father. He was accounted worthy to be the first to recognise what it was in Christ that was of God. What a foundation he had the good fortune to give to the Church, on the basis of his new name! He became the rock worthy of building up the Church so that it might break the laws of hell… and every prison-house of death. O blessed gatekeeper of heaven, to whom were given the keys of entry to eternity! His judgement on earth becomes authoritative beforehand in heaven in such a way that what has been bound or loosed on earth becomes so also in heaven.
Jesus also commands his disciples not to tell anyone he is the Christ since others, namely the Law and the prophets, must be the witnesses of his Spirit, while witness to the resurrection belongs to the apostles. And just as the blessedness of those who know Christ in the Spirit was made known, so also was made known the danger of misunderstanding his humility and Passion.
Pope Benedict XVI
Angelus Address, August 24, 2008
This Sunday’s liturgy addresses to us Christians but also at the same time to every man and every woman the double question that one day Jesus put to his disciples. He first asked them: “Who do men say that the Son of man is?”. They answered him saying that some of the people said John the Baptist restored to life, others Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
The Lord then directly questioned the Twelve: “But who do you say that I am?”. Peter spoke enthusiastically and authoritatively on behalf of them all: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. This solemn profession of faith the Church continues to repeat since then. Today too, we long to proclaim with an innermost conviction: “Yes, Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”.
Let us do so in the awareness that Christ is the true “treasure” for whom it is worth sacrificing everything; he is the friend who never abandons us for he knows the most intimate expectations of our hearts. Jesus is the “Son of the living God”, the promised Messiah who came down to earth to offer humanity salvation and to satisfy the thirst for life and love that dwells in every human being. What an advantage humanity would have in welcoming this proclamation which brings with it joy and peace!
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Jesus answers Peter’s inspired profession of faith: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven”. This is the first time that Jesus speaks of the Church, whose mission is the actuation of God’s great design to gather the whole of humanity into a single family in Christ.
Peter’s mission, and that of his Successors, is precisely to serve this unity of the one Church of God formed of Jews and pagans of all peoples; his indispensable ministry is to ensure that she is never identified with a single nation, with a single culture, but is the Church of all peoples – to make present among men and women, scarred by innumerable divisions and conflicts, God’s peace and the renewing power of his love. This, then, is the special mission of the Pope, Bishop of Rome and Successor of Peter: to serve the inner unity that comes from God’s peace, the unity of those who have become brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
Pope Benedict XVI
Homily, August 21, 2011
The Gospel we have just heard (cf. Mt 16:13-20) suggests two different ways of knowing Christ. The first is an impersonal knowledge, one based on current opinion. When Jesus asks: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”, the disciples answer: “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets”.
In other words, Christ is seen as yet another religious figure, like those who came before him. Then Jesus turns to the disciples and asks them: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter responds with what is the first confession of faith: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”. Faith is more than just empirical or historical facts; it is an ability to grasp the mystery of Christ’s person in all its depth.
Yet faith is not the result of human effort, of human reasoning, but rather a gift of God: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven”. Faith starts with God, who opens his heart to us and invites us to share in his own divine life.
Faith does not simply provide information about who Christ is; rather, it entails a personal relationship with Christ, a surrender of our whole person, with all our understanding, will and feelings, to God’s self-revelation. So Jesus’ question: “But who do you say that I am?”, is ultimately a challenge to the disciples to make a personal decision in his regard. Faith in Christ and discipleship are strictly interconnected.
And, since faith involves following the Master, it must become constantly stronger, deeper and more mature, to the extent that it leads to a closer and more intense relationship with Jesus. Peter and the other disciples also had to grow in this way, until their encounter with the Risen Lord opened their eyes to the fullness of faith. …
Today Christ is asking you the same question which he asked the Apostles: “Who do you say that I am?” Respond to him with generosity and courage, as befits young hearts like your own. Say to him: “Jesus, I know that you are the Son of God, who have given your life for me. I want to follow you faithfully and to be led by your word. You know me and you love me. I place my trust in you and I put my whole life into your hands. I want you to be the power that strengthens me and the joy which never leaves me”.
Jesus’ responds to Peter’s confession by speaking of the Church: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church”. What do these words mean? Jesus builds the Church on the rock of the faith of Peter, who confesses that Christ is God.
The Church, then, is not simply a human institution, like any other. Rather, she is closely joined to God. Christ himself speaks of her as “his” Church. Christ cannot be separated from the Church any more than the head can be separated from the body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12). The Church does not draw her life from herself, but from the Lord. …
As the Successor of Peter, let me urge you to strengthen this faith which has been handed down to us from the time of the Apostles. Make Christ, the Son of God, the centre of your life. But let me also remind you that following Jesus in faith means walking at his side in the communion of the Church. We cannot follow Jesus on our own. Anyone who would be tempted to do so “on his own”, or to approach the life of faith with that kind of individualism so prevalent today, will risk never truly encountering Jesus, or will end up following a counterfeit Jesus.
Having faith means drawing support from the faith of your brothers and sisters, even as your own faith serves as a support for the faith of others. I ask you, dear friends, to love the Church which brought you to birth in the faith, which helped you to grow in the knowledge of Christ and which led you to discover the beauty of his love.
Growing in friendship with Christ necessarily means recognizing the importance of joyful participation in the life of your parishes, communities and movements, as well as the celebration of Sunday Mass, frequent reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation, and the cultivation of personal prayer and meditation on God’s word.
Friendship with Jesus will also lead you to bear witness to the faith wherever you are, even when it meets with rejection or indifference. We cannot encounter Christ and not want to make him known to others.
So do not keep Christ to yourselves! Share with others the joy of your faith. The world needs the witness of your faith, it surely needs God. I think that the presence here of so many young people, coming from all over the world, is a wonderful proof of the fruitfulness of Christ’s command to the Church: “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15).
You too have been given the extraordinary task of being disciples and missionaries of Christ in other lands and countries filled with young people who are looking for something greater and, because their heart tells them that more authentic values do exist, they do not let themselves be seduced by the empty promises of a lifestyle which has no room for God. …
I commend all of you to the Virgin Mary and I ask her to accompany you always by her maternal intercession and to teach you how to remain faithful to God’s word. I ask you to pray for the Pope, so that, as the Successor of Peter, he may always confirm his brothers and sisters in the faith.
May all of us in the Church, pastors and faithful alike, draw closer to the Lord each day. May we grow in holiness of life and be effective witnesses to the truth that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God, the Saviour of all mankind and the living source of our hope. Amen.
