Matthew 16:13-19

Acts 12:1-11

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I believe that Jesus is the Christ and your eternal Son. You sent him to establish the Church as the seed and beginning of your Kingdom. Through Peter, the apostles, and the other disciples, you spread your Kingdom to the ends of the earth. Reign in my heart!

Encountering the Word of God

1. The New Royal Steward: On this solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we read in the Gospel about Jesus entrusting the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Simon Peter and granting him the authority to bind and loose on earth. The background to the image of the keys is the Kingdom of David. Just as the kingdom of David had one of its twelve ministers act as a royal steward entrusted with the keys (Isaiah 22), so also the Kingdom of Heaven, inaugurated by Jesus, has a royal steward entrusted with the keys. “The royal steward, the ‘one over the palace’ (Hebrew: asher al-habbayit), wore the key or keys to the place on his shoulder as his badge of office. He controlled access to the king’s throne room: what he shut no one could open, and what he opened no one could shut (Isaiah 22:22). The royal steward was second in authority only to the king. Jesus is placing Peter in that role in the kingdom of heaven that he is establishing” (Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Solemnities and Feasts, 331). Simon Peter was also granted the authority to “bind and loose.” In the First Century A.D., there was division among the Jewish people about who had this interpretive, teaching, and legal authority. The Sadducees thought that the high priest did. The Pharisees thought that they did, because the high priesthood had been usurped by the Hasmoneans in the second century B.C. The Essenes rejected the Sadducees and Pharisees as spiritually corrupt and were waiting for a royal Davidic Messiah (a military and political leader) and a priestly Aaronic Messiah (a teaching and spiritual leader). When Jesus grants Peter royal authority with the keys and priestly authority with the power to bind and loose, he is effectively resolving the conflict between the religious groups of the day.

2. Rescued from Herod: In the First Reading, we read the story of how Peter was saved during Passover. The reading begins with the martyrdom of the Apostle James the Greater, the brother of John, by King Herod Agrippa I, who ruled Judea from A.D. 41 to 44. The martyrdom of James and the imprisonment of Peter took place in A.D. 44, as Herod Agrippa would die suddenly that same year (Acts 12:20-23). The reader of the Acts of the Apostles would expect Peter to die like Jesus during Passover. But that doesn’t happen. God sends his angel to deliver Peter from prison. And Luke notes how the “prayer by the Church” was beneficial for Peter’s salvation from prison. Peter would be martyred in Rome some two decades later under the Emperor Nero. This would give him time to go to Rome, exercise his authority at the Council of Jerusalem, welcome Paul to Rome, and write letters to the Church. The First Letter offers hope amid suffering and urges believers to live holy lives. The Second Letter warns against false teachers, encourages believers to grow spiritually, and be prepared for the Second Coming (Parousia) of Jesus Christ.

3. Paul’s Letter to Timothy: The Second Reading is taken from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy, which reads like a last will and testament. Like Peter, Paul was rescued from death several times. Paul reflects on this and says, “And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:17). Paul is in prison and knows that his days on earth are coming to an end. He is confident that he has “competed well,” “kept the faith,” and “finished the race.” A crown of righteousness awaits him after his execution. He is not fearful to stand before the Lord, his judge. He is not confident because of his own strength, but because “the Lord stood by me and gave me strength.” Jesus sent his grace and Spirit to empower Paul to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you chose Peter to strengthen your Church and Paul to proclaim your Gospel to the nations. Through their witness, teach us to confess with faith that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God, and to follow you with courage and perseverance. When trials and opposition arise, be our strength and deliverance. Unite us in the truth of your Church, fill us with zeal for your mission, and lead us safely into your heavenly Kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

Living the Word of God: Like Peter, am I willing to profess my faith in Jesus openly and confidently, especially in situations where it may be difficult or unpopular to do so? What “prison” of fear, discouragement, sin, or self-reliance is keeping me from following Christ more faithfully, and how is God inviting me to trust in his power to set me free? Like Paul, how can I persevere in the mission God has entrusted to me this week – at home, at work, or in my parish – even when it requires sacrifice, patience, or courage?