Gospel: August 8, 2024
(Thursday)
18th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
St. Dominic, priest
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 51: 12-13, 14-15, 18-19
Create a clean heart in me, O God.
1st Reading: Jeremiah 31: 31-34
The time is coming—it is Yahweh who speaks—when I will forge a new Covenant with the people of Israel and the people of Judah. It will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. For they broke my Covenant although I was their Master, Yahweh declares.
This is the Covenant I shall make with Israel after that time: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God and they will be my people.
And they will not have to teach each other, neighbor or brother, saying: ‘Know Yahweh,’ because they will all know me, from the greatest to the lowliest, for I will forgive their wrongdoing and no longer remember their sin.”
Gospel: Matthew 16: 13-23
After that, Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They said, “For some of them, you are John the Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.
And now I say to you: You are Peter; and on this Rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”
Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
From that day, Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem; that he would suffer many things from the Jewish authorities, the chief priests and the teachers of the law; and that he would be killed and be raised on the third day.
Then Peter took him aside and began to reproach him, “Never, Lord! No, this must never happen to you!” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path. You are thinking not as God does, but as people do.”
Reflection: “You are the Messiah.”
When we do not allow God to take the lead, we will surely be lost in our journey. When we try to get ahead of Jesus, we become a stumbling block to God’s divine plan. We must stay behind Jesus. When we do, then we will realize that any authority we have at present is only given to us. Hence, it is not by our own merit that we have embarked on this journey of faith. Today’s Gospel narrates Peter’s profession of faith. Jesus asked his disciples about what people were saying about him. They said that the people thought of Jesus to be John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
Afterward, Jesus turned to his disciples, asking them about what they could say about him. Peter, responding to Jesus, made his profession of faith: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Mt. 16:16) Jesus commended Peter for his answer. Nevertheless, Jesus also highlighted that Peter’s profession of faith was part and parcel of God’s revelation to him. It was not flesh and blood that revealed such truth to Peter. It is God himself. The faith we profess is primarily a revelation and a gift from God.
