By, Father Paul Nord, O.S.B., Sunday Scripture
First Reading: Acts 12:1-11; Response: Psalm 34:2-9; Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
When this Solemnity falls on a Sunday, we use the readings and prayers which recall the witness of Sts. Peter and Paul. These supersede the normal Sunday readings and prayers.
“In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.” This refers to Herod Agrippa, who ruled Judea from A.D. 41-44. “Herod the Great” was the grandfather of Herod Agrippa. So “he had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and… he proceeded to arrest Peter also.” This happened during “the feast of Unleavened Bread,” which follows Passover.
Peter is miraculously freed from prison by “the angel of the Lord.” Peter was “secured by double chains,” but when the angel told Peter “Get up quickly,” the chains fell from Peter’s wrists. And so, the Lord’s angel leads Peter out of the prison. Then when Peter is free, the angel suddenly departs. Only then does Peter fully realize the action of the Lord in rescuing him from the power of King Herod. This miracle demonstrates that no earthly king will be able to stop the apostles from proclaiming of the Good News of Christ Jesus.
Next St. Paul writes to St. Timothy. According to Acts 16:1, Timothy was “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer [in Jesus], but his father was a Greek.” Timothy became one of Paul’s most trusted coworkers in proclaiming Christ’s Gospel throughout the eastern Mediterranean – to Jews and Gentiles alike.
This letter – “the 2nd letter to Timothy” – may be Paul’s last letter preserved by the Church. Paul clearly believes that his ministry is coming to an end. Paul movingly says “the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” Paul also says, “I am already being poured out like a libation.” Paul thus compares his life to a sacrifice poured out for God’s glory. Paul anticipates his approaching martyrdom – the complete gift of his life as a sacrifice to God. Paul affirms that “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength” and he “will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.”
Today’s Gospel represents a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. He has been curing the sick and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. But his disciples are still coming to understand Jesus’ mission in God’s providential care for his people. Is Jesus a prophet like Jeremiah? Or is Jesus instead “the Christ” (the Messiah) – the anointed one – descended from David and sent by God to redeem his people?
Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Simon Peter answers directly and correctly: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is Matthew’s account. Mark and Luke report Simon Peter’s words as simply: “You are the Christ.” Matthew’s additional phrase “the Son of the living God” explains Jesus’ identity more fully. But Mark’s Gospel also emphasizes Jesus’ divine sonship in its opening verse: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Similarly, when Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan River, the voice from heaven identifies who Jesus is: “This is (You are) my beloved Son” (Matt 3:17; Mark 1:11).
So Jesus’ identity as Christ and God’s Son is now asserted by Simon Peter. Jesus affirms that Peter is correct, and that Peter has received a special grace from God to have this information spiritually revealed to him. Jesus says to Peter: “Blessed are you” for having received this knowledge from God. “Blessed” (makarios) is the same word that Jesus uses repeatedly in his Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” etc. (Matt. 5:3-12).
Then Jesus tells Peter: “so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.” Jesus thus designates Peter as leader of his disciples who together form “my Church.” The word for “church” here is “ekklesia,” which is the assembly of believers. Jesus asserts his ongoing relationship with his disciples by using the possessive “my.” Jesus calls his disciples “my Church.” This relationship is demonstrated by Jesus’ promise to protect “my Church.” He promises: “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
Then Jesus promises Peter: “I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.” Jesus thus makes Peter and his disciples into agents of his mission. Essential to Jesus’ mission is that he comes “as judge.” That is, Jesus the Messiah judges all who do injustice and violence – and thus sin against God. Jesus thus establishes the Kingdom of God – in which peace and justice reign. When Jesus entrusts Peter with “the keys to the Kingdom of heaven,” Jesus empowers Peter to show mercy towards those who have sinned – so that they may be forgiven and reconciled to God. When Jesus tells Peter “I will give you” – this “you” is singular, referring to Peter. But since Peter is the leader of Jesus’ disciples, they share secondarily in this mission of communicating Jesus’ mercy in a world of sin and death.
After this, “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” (16:21). But Jesus’ disciples were firmly committed to their belief that God’s Messiah would lead the Israelites to earthly glory – triumph over their enemies. Thus, they did not want to accept that the Messiah must suffer and be killed. For this reason, Peter rebukes Jesus for prophesying that he would be killed (16:22). But Jesus rebukes Peter in response: “Get behind me, Satan” (16:23). Jesus further explains that his disciples must imitate his example. They must be willing to lose their lives, as Jesus will lose his life. This is Jesus Christ’s good news of God’s salvation – that new life with God comes from Jesus taking up his cross – and that Jesus’ followers must do the same.