Gospel: Matthew 16:13-23
Jesus
went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and 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.” Then he strictly
ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
From that
time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and
suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be
killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to
rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He
turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You
are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
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Reflection:
Is there
a reward for a person who exerts effort to know Jesus deeply? Yes there is and
this is proven in the gospel reading for today.
When
Jesus said to His disciples: “But who do you say that I am?” And Simon Peter
knew Him well when he said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Aside from the gift of knowing Jesus which God gave Peter, surely Peter also
exerted effort to know Jesus. Otherwise Peter would have not said: “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God.”
What was
the reward of Peter? Jesus rewarded Simon Peter when He founded the church
through him: you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church (Matthew
16:18).
What is
then the reward for us if we exert effort to know Jesus? The rewards are
enormous, infinite and unfathomable: such as peace of mind, humility, obedient and
loving children and many more.
Through
our Baptism we are already given the gift of knowing Jesus and having a
personal relationship with Him. Let us not throw this gift away by not opening
it, to open this is to have an interest in Jesus.
This we
can do by reading His life story in the scripture through the gospels of Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John. By living His teachings and by our sacred presence in the
celebration of the Holy Mass.
Do you
also want to receive rewards from Jesus? -
Marino J. Dasmarinas
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