Peter’s Life of Love!

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter!

1 Pet 5:1-4; Mt 16:13-19

In today’s Gospel, Jesus raises a question regarding his identity. 

We might think that for Jesus to have asked this question, either he is confused about his identity or seeks praise from his disciples through his identity. 

However, there is a profound reason why Jesus does it. 

For Jesus, his disciples’ certainty about his identity was very important because it was connected to his life and death.

From the words of Simon Peter, who answered that ‘You are the Messiah,’ it was easy for Jesus to raise his identity as the ‘Suffering Messiah’ as he foretells his death and resurrection in the passage that immediately follows this.

It is because of Simon Peter’s right understanding of Jesus as the Messiah through Divine inspiration that Jesus finds him worthy of leading the Church after him.

Hence, as we celebrate the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, we cannot forget God’s revelation that he was privileged with regarding Jesus’ identity. 

Peter’s leadership comes as a recognition of God’s grace, which was abundant in him. 

Peter was blessed. Indeed! But he justified his election by becoming a strong foundation for the early Church. 

The First Pope of the Church found his authority through his tireless dedication and service. 

He denied Jesus for fear of his life. But he compensated his mistake with a life of love that he was ready to lose for the sake of the Jesus he loved. 

Peter, who undid his threefold denial through threefold affirmation, accepted the mission to be the Church’s shepherd and laid down his life for his sheep, following the example of his Master.

The beautiful story of Peter reminds us that we can always affirm our love for the Lord despite the fact that we deny Him at times with our sins. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar