Reflection for August 7 Thursday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 16:13-23

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 beautifully revealed in today’s Gospel reading. 

When Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “But who do you say that I am?” it was Simon Peter who responded with a heart full of conviction and faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

Peter didn’t arrive at this truth by chance. Yes, it was a divine gift from the Father—but Peter also nurtured that gift. He spent time with Jesus. He listened. He observed. He loved. He allowed himself to be transformed by the presence of the Lord. Without that effort, that deep longing to know Jesus personally, Peter would not have been able to make such a profound confession of faith. 

What was Peter’s reward? Jesus looked into his heart and entrusted him with a divine mission: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.” (Matthew 16:18) What an extraordinary reward—to be chosen as the foundation upon which the visible Church of Christ would stand! 

And what about us? What will we receive if we, too, exert effort to know Jesus more intimately? The rewards are immense and eternal—peace that surpasses understanding, a life anchored in grace, hearts that forgive, families that flourish in love, and a soul that rests securely in the arms of God. These are treasures the world cannot give, and the world cannot take away. 

Through our Baptism, the gift of a relationship with Jesus has already been placed in our hands. But a gift left unopened remains useless. Let us not neglect this divine gift. Instead, let us unwrap it each day with eagerness and joy by deepening our love and knowledge of Christ. 

We open this gift when we immerse ourselves in His life through the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. We open it when we live out His teachings in our daily choices, in our forgiveness, in our sacrifices, in our love. We open it when we participate fully, consciously, and joyfully in the celebration of the Holy Mass—where heaven meets earth and Christ gives Himself to us again and again. 

Do you also long to receive the Lord’s rewards? Draw near to Him. Desire Him. Spend time with Him. Because those who seek Him with all their hearts will never walk away empty. — Marino J. Dasmarinas