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| “St Peter Enthroned with Saints” by Cima da Conegliano, 1495-97 |
Reading I: 1 Peter 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.
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Commentary on 1
Pt 5:1-4
St. Peter, first among the apostles,
concludes his first letter writing specifically to those who have been
appointed to lead local Christian communities. These individuals would have
been appointed by the apostles as they traveled on their missionary
journeys. He provides a view of leadership consistent with Christ’s
teaching and contradicting the Jewish leadership style which was authoritarian.
He exhorts the presbyters or elders to offer their service as a gift to God and
provide leadership through their example of humility.
"St. Gregory the Great teaches
that the pastor of souls 'should always give the lead, to show by his example
the way to life, so that his flock (who follow the voice and the actions of the
pastor) are guided more by example than by words; his position obliges him to
speak of elevated things, and also to manifest them personally; the word more
easily gains access to the hearts of hearers when it carries with it the
endorsement of the life of him who when giving instructions assists in their
fulfillment by his own example' ("Regulae Pastoralis Liber", 2,
3)."[4]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-3a, 4,
5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd; I
shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives
me repose;
Beside restful waters he
leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall
want.
Even though I walk in the
dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are
at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall
want.
You spread the table before
me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall
want.
Only goodness and kindness
follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the
house of the Lord
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall
want.
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Commentary on Ps 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6
Psalm 23 is one of the most
familiar songs in the entire psalter. “God's loving care for the psalmist is
portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Psalm 23:1-4) and a
host's generosity toward a guest (Psalm 23:5-6). The
imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Isaiah 40:11; 49:10; Jeremiah 31:10).” [5] While
the theme of shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really
speaks to the peace given to those who follow the Lord and place their trust in
Him, even into the “dark valley.”
The reference in the third strophe
above: “'You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes' occurs
in an exodus context in Psalm 78:19. As my
enemies watch: my enemies see that I am God's friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed
ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Psalm 104:15; Matthew 26:7; Luke 7:37, 46; John 12:2).” [6]
CCC: Ps
23:5 1293
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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.”
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Commentary on Mt
16:13-19
St. Matthew’s story of how Jesus
asked about what people were saying about him has a profound impact on the
Church. Here, when challenged by Jesus with the question, “But who do you
say that I am?” Simon answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God.” The second title is not present in St. Mark’s version of this
encounter. The title adds an understanding that Jesus is not just the Messiah,
but also the Son of God. Given this response, Jesus confers upon Simon a new
name “Kephas” which comes from the root Aramaic word kepa or
“rock.” When translated into Greek it is petros, and from
there to Peter. The name, however, becomes the foundation for the Church. As a
consequence of this exchange, Peter is given Christ’s authority, an authority
that is passed down through papal succession to the Pope who sits on the Chair
of Peter today.
CCC: Mt 16-18 1969; Mt 16:16-23 440; Mt 16:16 424, 442; Mt 16:17 153, 442; Mt 16:18-19 881; Mt 16:18 424, 442, 552, 586, 869; Mt
16:19 553, 1444
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Reflection:
It is ironic that the
rationale for our celebration surrounding the story of the Lord giving the “keys
of the Kingdom of God” to St. Peter should come from St. Paul
It is a great blessing for
us, this offer of adoption through the authority passed on to St. Peter. It gives us access to the wisdom of God and
the peace that comes with knowing God’s salvation is available to us. The reading from the First Letter of St.
Peter points out that, with this adoption, this special status of belonging to
God’s family, there are also responsibilities.
Some might say that St. Peter
is addressing only his fellow presbyters, the priests and bishops of the early
Church, in this letter. It might be said
that we need listen only to those whose authority flows more directly from the
Chair of Peter, as the pontificate is now called. But those who think so would be wrong. We are all given some share in the
responsibility for leading God’s flock.
We are all witnesses to the world of the love of Christ that is most
eloquently proclaimed from St. Peter’s Chair.
It is our inheritance to spend in the world. The keys that bind us in the form of the magisterium
are also the keys that free us, allowing us to be free from the secular chains
of envy and greed.
In a sense it is like the
Mark Twain story of the “Prince and the Pauper,” the two identical youths who switched
places, and in their unfamiliar roles the boy who was now a prince was thought
to have become mentally ill and the prince now placed in the role of beggar was
likewise thought to have become deranged.
They were not acting according to their birthrights. We are not merely sheep to follow blindly
anyone who calls themselves shepherds.
We are part of the flock of the one true shepherd and we follow only his
voice. And those who see us and know us
understand that we follow that voice. It is like a brand set upon us, ashes on
our foreheads that should not be washed off.
Today we rejoice in our
adoption as children of God. We thank
the One Shepherd for calling us and placing wise shepherds to carry on the
great work that he began. We pray this
day for the strength and courage to be seen as members of that flock and to be
worthy to carry his brand in our hearts.
Pax
On this date in other years: Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
[1]
The picture is “St Peter Enthroned with Saints” by Cima da Conegliano, 1495-97.
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the
psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is
for private use only.
[4]
The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002,
p. 346.
[5]
See NAB footnote on Psalm 23.
[6]
Ibid.
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