Reflection on Today's Readings, Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Monday 22nd February, 2021
Texts: 1Pet. 5:1-4; Ps. 23:1-6; Mt.16:13-19
Today we celebrate the feast of the Chair of St. Peter. The chair means office or authority. Jesus Christ conferred the office on St. Peter. Today's gospel reading shows that Peter's confession of Jesus Christ won him the office. It is said, "Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.'" Just like the other apostles, many of us are quick to speak of other people's opinions about Jesus Christ, but they themselves have no personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. Personal knowledge we talk about here is that which comes from experience. This means personal knowledge of Jesus Christ comes from living the faith, for experiential knowledge comes from doing, acting or living. It is by living the faith that we encounter Jesus Christ. When we encounter Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will help us to interiorize our knowledge of Him and also give the ability to make the confession. From St. Peter we learn that to truly take our position as sons and daughters of God we need to make the right confession about Jesus Christ, the confession that comes from living the faith and inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Whoever has no personal knowledge of Jesus Christ has no anchor of faith, for personal knowledge is the anchor of faith. It is not just an anchor of faith but strong anchor of faith because personal knowledge is held to be certain and to be the truth. The confession of St. Peter is not without his personal experience of Jesus Christ; it is the result of personal experience interiorized with the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ conferred the office we celebrate today on St. Peter because he had strong anchor of faith. His anchor of faith is his confession, which omes from personal experience interiorized with the aid of Holy Spirit. Our sonship is also built on our confession of Jesus, the confession which comes from personal experience interiorized with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The office of St. Peter is to teach and guide the Church. He showcased this in today's first reading when he says, "I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed." Jesus gave him this perogative when he said, "Simon, Simon! Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat, but I have prayed for you, Simon, that may your faith not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers" (Lk. 22:31-32). He continues to exhort his brothers and the Church in his successor, the Pope. He exhorts his brothers, that they may in their turn exhort the Church. He exhorts his brothers thus: "Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock." This exhortation is for the good and general welfare of the whole Church. Though this exhortation is directed at the bishops, priests and deacons, it is also useful to all the faithful. We are to serve lovingly and willingly, not as a duty; we should be eager to serve and not for money; we should also avoid being domineering in our leadership approach, we should rather be examples that people can follow. The reward we should expect is the unfading crown to be given by Jesus Christ. Hence, he says, "And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory."
Jesus Christ gave him the assignment to exhort the whole Church when it is said, "When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' A second time he said to him, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' He replied, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Look after my sheep.' Then, he said to him a third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt that he asked for a third time, 'Do you love me?' and said, 'Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.'" He continues to feed the Church in his successor, the Pope. We are to listen to him and obey him; when we obey him, we obey Jesus Christ.
Lord our God, we thank you for the gift of faith, grant that we may live the faith so as to encounter You and have personal knowledge of You. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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