FULLNESS OF TRUTH – 02/22/22 (Feast of the Chair of St. Peter)

Matthew 16:15-18

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 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. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.

For the full readings, click here: 

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings

For more information on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, click here:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/february-22-chair-of-saint-peter-apostle/

Blessed Feast of the Chair of St. Peter! The chair of St. Peter is a symbolism of his authority as the Pope, the visible head of the apostles and the Catholic Church. Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Our Lord is concerned for us, and He desires that we know Him because He is the Truth. Of all the disciples, Simon professed his faith in Jesus as the Messiah, his Savior and the fulfillment of the prophecies. This faith is a gift from God. Just as how the faith of Peter is a gift, the infallibility of the Pope and the Church is a gift from God. 

It is a guarantee that Jesus will always protect the Catholic Church from the powers of death, an imagery of the evil spirits who want to destroy His Church. Jesus will always guide the Catholic Church, and He will protect the Church from false teachings . This Church was first led by Simon, whose name was changed to Peter, meaning "Rock." St. Peter was the person chosen by God to lead His Church on earth as a foundation and visible figure of Church unity. This authority is passed down to the successors of St. Peter, and the current Pope who leads the Church is Pope Francis.

It is important to know that the evil spirits will always attack the Catholic Church, even if they will not win the battle in the end. Satan wants us to stay away from the fullness of Truth by tempting many people, both non-Catholics and Catholics, to commit scandals, oppositions, criticisms and other sins. And yet, there is nothing to worry about because the promise of Jesus will never fail. Even amidst the imperfections and sinfulness of Peter and other Catholics throughout the ages, the Catholic Church remains strong through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit called many saints throughout the history to be instruments of reformation, not just of the structure of the Church, but also of the hearts of many people. Our Lord is calling us to be saints because we can only know Him as deeply as possible only by living the Catholic faith. At the same time, we can lead others, especially those who are struggling in their faith, to be closer to Christ and the Church by our examples. 

Do we believe that the fullness of truth is found in the Catholic Church? Do we trust that Jesus will protect the Church from the powers of death? By God's grace, may we say "yes" to these questions. Let's also express to Jesus that we believe jn the teachings He revealed in the Catholic Church, especially in our prayers. Let's pray for the Pope, so he can lead the Church faithfully through the guidance of God. 

St. Peter, pray for us. Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic