Reflection for Wednesday June 29, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles: Matthew 16:13-19

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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Reflection:

How well do you know Jesus? 

After Peter correctly answered the question of Jesus about His true identity. Jesus told Peter that the enlightenment to know Him came from God and not from him. Thus, being the anointed one Peter was chosen by Jesus to be the first head of the church. It was not by Peter’s own effort that he was chosen it was God who chose Peter.   

How many times have we credited ourselves for our achievements and success?    How many times have we owned to ourselves our knowledge about God? Many of us would always attribute to ourselves and through our hard work everything that we know and have.  

But the truth is what we know and have right now are purely gifts from God. Amongst the many we were chosen by God with those gifts not for us to boast about it and certainly not for us to keep it to ourselves. But for us to humbly use it for the greater glory of the kingdom of God in this world.  

The Apostles Peter and Paul used their God given gifts and talents to humbly advance God’s kingdom. How about you? – Marino J. Dasmarinas