Daily Gospel Reflection

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February 22, 2024

Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter - Apostle
Mt 16:13-19
Listen to the Audio Version

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.”

Reflection

Jane Sloan Peters '09, M.Ed. '13, M.A.
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Christ asks the apostles, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responds on behalf of the twelve, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In this, Peter proclaims that Jesus is not merely a Son of Adam, an ordinary man from a Jewish family in Nazareth, but the Son of God, the eternal Son who united humanity to his divine person, entering into human life for our salvation.

One of the things that struck me as I was reading this passage was that Christ addresses his question to all twelve apostles. This is evident in the original Greek text of Matthew, which contains a plural form of you. Depending on where you hail from, this would be more accurately translated as, “You guys,” “All y’all,” “Yinz,” or “You’se.”

But only Peter answers, and this sets him apart. Some church fathers, reading this passage, characterize Peter as the “mouth of the apostles,” and indeed, today is the day that the church celebrates papal leadership with the Feast of the Chair of Peter.

I find it hard to put myself in Peter’s shoes, and for good reason. I have not been given the keys to the kingdom of heaven—the only keys I possess are those for a dented Honda CR-V and a little university office. Instead, I picture myself standing among the apostles, witnessing the conversation. I am among the followers of Christ for whom Peter spoke.

I wonder what it would have been like to hear him answer on my behalf. Would I have felt relieved that he answered and took one for the team? Would I have felt grateful that Peter put words to something burning in my heart that I couldn’t articulate? Would I have been confused and scared by the claim that Jesus was “the Christ of God”? Would I have felt jealous that Peter came to the answer before I could?

The truth is, I find in myself a mix of these reactions. Regardless, I remember that Christ asked all the apostles the question. Peter may speak for me, but I still must confront the question, “Who do you say that I am?” The way we answer makes all the difference.

Prayer

Rev. Mike Palmer, C.S.C.

Ever-loving Father, you established your Church upon the rock of Peter to be a refuge for sinners and a fortress of strength for all who call upon you. Continue to stretch forth your hand and protect all men and women who place their lives in your divine care, especially those in serious danger of physical or spiritual harm. We ask this through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint of the Day

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

Today’s feast celebrates St. Peter, the rock upon whom Jesus built the Church. “You are Peter,” Jesus said, “and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18).

The early Church in Rome was in the custom of marking the date that Peter arrived to publicly lead their community. Each year on this date, they dedicated the empty chair Peter sat on when he presided over the community in prayer. He used to sit in the chair to receive newly converted Christians who were baptized. Still dripping wet, they would come to him in this chair to be anointed and confirmed.

February 22 was chosen to coincide with what was understood as the anniversary of the day on which Jesus entrusted the Church to Peter with the words from Matthew’s Gospel above. The actual chair of this feast was lost long ago in one of the several invasions and plunderings of Rome.

St. Peter is depicted in several places on campus. The mosaic featured today stands on the exterior of the front of the Basilica, and the stained glass window (shown below) comes from that church as well. Relics of St. Peter rest in the reliquary chapel, including a piece of the cross on which he was crucified upside-down.

On today's feast, many may have on their minds the scandals and the corruption in the Church that have been front page news in recent years. Peter, although a saint, was an ordinary man who had to constantly convert himself throughout his life to follow Christ more completely. The community founded upon him must always do the same. May we pray today for the constant conversion of the hearts of each minister and member of the Church, that we may reach out to those who have been wounded and that we may all seek to convert and heal the mystical body of Christ of which we are a part.

On this feast of the Chair of St. Peter, let us pray for the pope and for the Church!