But who do you say that I am?

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Collect

O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading
Acts 12:1-11

In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
“Get up quickly.”
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”
He did so.
Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
            “Now I know for certain
            that the Lord sent his angel
            and rescued me from the hand of Herod
            and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”


The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R.        (5) The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
            his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
            the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R.        The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Glorify the LORD with me,
            let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
            and delivered me from all my fears.
R.        The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
            and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
            and from all his distress he saved him.
R.        The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
The angel of the LORD encamps
            around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
            blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R.        The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

Second Reading
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Acclamation before the Gospel

Matthew 16:18

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.


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.”

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection
The account of the primacy of Peter seems to have taken on a greater significance since witnessing the election of Pope Leo XIV.

This Gospel passage takes place in Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus asked His disciples two questions:

- “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
- “But you, who do you say that I am?”

If Jesus were to ask us these same questions today, and we wanted to express them in a more modern way, I think they might sound like this:

- What do you know about Me, and what have others told you about Me?
- What do I mean to you?

The first question addresses the mind while the second question is directed at the heart. To answer the first question, I could present my certificates proving that I have studied theology and philosophy … but these would not answer the second question. Peter, a fisherman whom the Lord had called from the seashore, knew how to answer the second question, not because of wisdom he had acquired, but because he had encountered Jesus personally, through his lived experience. Jesus Himself confirms this: “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven”. Peter’s declaration has its roots interwoven in a divine experience. And it is precisely because of these deep-seated roots that the intimacy between the Living Son of God and the Son of Jonah transforms Simon Peter. He still had a blunt character, remained spontaneous, and asked questions when he didn’t understand…but this was the rock that the Lord chose to build His Church upon. It was Peter whom the Lord entrusted with a new mission. He allowed him to remain a fisherman…but this time, He called him to fish for people. The same thing happened just over a month ago in the Sistine Chapel. And the same thing happens to you and me every time we allow Him to take charge, each one of us, according to our own fishing mission.

Prayer

Father, many people say many things about You…sometimes good and sometimes bad. Some say that You created everything, that You are good. Others say that You do not hear them, or that, You are unjust.

Sometimes I agree with them myself.

But deep within my heart, I know that I have searched and searched but have found none like You. The joy You give compares with nothing. You are the One that gives meaning to my life, even when I don’t see eye to eye with You, even when I don’t understand Your ways, even when I feel You are asking difficult things from me. I have tried You…and found that You are the One who did not allow me to remain Simon, but transformed me into Peter.

Remain with me, because I am weak and fall short. The fishing mission is in Your hands. I will only cast the net. Amen.

 

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