“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.”

matthew 16:18

Matthew 16:13-19

Reflection

Today, we get Matthew’s version of Peter declaring Jesus as Christ. Because of this, Jesus renames Simon as “Peter,” and states that upon Peter, Jesus will build his Church.

This Gospel passage is crucial to understanding and accepting that Jesus founded his Church on the Apostle Peter, and that Church has continued uninterrupted until today. The Catholic Church is full of such rich history and was founded by Jesus himself.

Even though the Church has gone through many struggles and wrongdoing, it is critical to remember that the Holy Spirit is and always will guide it. Jesus tells Peter that nothing shall prevail against the Church, even evil itself. Peter knew who Christ was and put his faith in him – let us do the same.

Reflect on how your faith and being Catholic has positively influenced your life. Take some time to learn about a part of Church history you know little about.

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Saint of the Day

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

Today commemorates Jesus entrusting the Church to St. Peter. In St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, there is a physical chair known as the “cathedra petri” and is venerated for its spiritual significance. St. Peter, pray for us!