You, O eternal Trinity, are a deep sea, into which the more I enter the more I find, and the more I find the more I seek. The soul cannot be satiated in your abyss, for she continually hungers after you, the eternal Trinity, desiring to see you with the light of your light. As the hart desires the springs of living water, so my soul desires to leave the prison of this dark body and see you in truth.
... Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
(". . . to see you with the light of your light. . . " Let this be your prayer today.)
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Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18
Mt 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.”
Reflection on the Scriptures
- feast of Peter and Paul
Human nature is remarkably stable. Seeking approval while ignoring the right thing sadly persists across the ages. But the witness of truth persists, exposing this human weakness. We don’t need dramatic signs to know that digesting a little food for thought (with a dash of humility and a pinch of respect for others) will produce a better outcome than people-pleasing hubris, and maybe even keep
us from an undesirable end.
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul senses that martyrdom is near. His metaphor about finishing a race and receiving a crown resonates with those of us who have trained hard to compete, perhaps experiencing satisfaction from a strong performance. That crown is not an exclusive prize for one winner, but it is awarded to all who run well. I am amazed that Paul remains confident, even though he
senses that the end may be near. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.” This was still true even if he did not escape death. Can we likewise hold on in the face of lesser tribulations?
Today’s gospel gives us the memorable exchange between our Lord and Peter, in which he promises to build his enduring Church. The Church is also referenced in Acts as the object of Herod’s wrath. But Herod gets eaten by worms while the Church continues to grow despite hardship and threats. Another object lesson! Can you imagine how the apostles must have felt when they recalled these words
from our Lord during events unfolding in their day? Do we have the same sense of wonder about the persistence of the Church in our day?
- by Ed Morse
The Son of God Became Human
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Part One, Section Two, Chapter Three
Article 8: I Believe in the Holy Spirit
II. THE NAME, TITLE, AND SYMBOLS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Symbols of the Holy Spirit
701 The dove. At the end of the flood, whose symbolism refers to Baptism, a dove released by Noah returns with a fresh olive-tree branch in its beak as a sign that the earth was again habitable.58 When Christ comes up from the water of his baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes down upon him and remains with him.59 The Spirit comes down and remains in the purified hearts of the
baptized. In certain churches, the Eucharist is reserved in a metal receptacle in the form of a dove (columbarium) suspended above the altar. Christian iconography traditionally uses a dove to suggest the Spirit.
(Footnote references in the Catechism.)
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