The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, apostle

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Peter 5:1-4
Psalm 23:1-6
Matthew 16:13-19

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"

This is Peter's reply to Jesus after being asked who he thought Jesus was. What faith it took to say this! While the Pharisees and other learned religious men were waiting for a political messiah to free their land from Roman occupation and tyranny, a relatively uneducated fisherman knew the truth. In response to Peter, Jesus says that it is not due to flesh and blood that Peter knows this, but only due to the Father revealing it to him.

Peter did not spend his time in the synagogue studying scripture and displaying his religiosity for all to see. No, he probably spent nearly every waking moment on his boat, striving to make a living, spending countless hours in quiet isolation with his nets. This is where Peter became truly blessed. He heard God speak the truth to him about His Son during his long hours of labor and during the hours of quiet work, not in endless study, meaningless public displays.

During Lent, we too, should follow Peter's example and labor in what we're called to do, and spend quiet time listening for a word from Almighty God to speak to us. It is there that we'll find renewal and revelation and come to receive the many blessings our Lord has for us.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

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posted by joachim at 6:57 AM