Daily Readings - Thu Aug 09 2018
Jeremiah
31Behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I will form a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah32not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand, so as to lead them away from the land of Egypt, the covenant which they nullified, though I was the ruler over them, says the Lord33But this will be the covenant that I will form with the house of Israel, after those days, says the Lord: I will give my law to their inner most being, and I will write it upon their heart. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people34And they will no longer teach, a man his neighbor, and a man his brother, saying: ‘Know the Lord.’ For all will know me, from the littlest of them even to the greatest, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will no longer remember their sin
Matthew
13Then Jesus went into parts of Caesarea Philippi. And he questioned his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?14And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, still others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.15Jesus said to them, "But who do you say that I am?16Simon Peter responded by saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.17And in response, Jesus said to him: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven18And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound, even in heaven. And whatever you shall release on earth shall be released, even in heaven.20Then he instructed his disciples that they should tell no one that he is Jesus the Christ21From that time, Jesus began to reveal to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and to suffer much from the elders and the scribes and the leaders of the priests, and to be killed, and to rise again on the third day22And Peter, taking him aside, began to rebuke him, saying, "Lord, may it be far from you; this shall not happen to you.23And turning away, Jesus said to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan; you are an obstacle to me. For you are not behaving according to what is of God, but according to what is of men.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God’s covenant with us and the call to faith in the face of uncertainty. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear of a new covenant—one that is not like the old one broken by Israel’s infidelity. This new covenant is written on the heart, a promise of intimacy and transformation. No longer will people need to teach one another to “know the Lord,” for all will know Him, from the least to the greatest. This is a vision of a world deeply united to God, where His law is not an external rule but an inner reality guiding our lives.
In the Gospel, we see this covenant unfolding in the life of Jesus. When Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” it is Peter who confesses, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This moment is pivotal. Peter’s confession is not just a statement of fact; it is a profession of faith, a recognition of who Jesus truly is. Jesus responds by calling Peter the rock upon which He will build His Church, a Church that will endure even against the gates of hell. Yet, immediately after this high point, Jesus reveals the cost of discipleship: He must suffer, die, and rise again. Peter’s resistance to this truth leads Jesus to remind him that following God often requires setting aside human thinking and embracing God’s plan, even when it is difficult.
These readings remind us that our faith is rooted in God’s initiative, not our own understanding. The new covenant Jeremiah speaks of is fulfilled in Christ, who writes His law on our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Like Peter, we are called to confess Jesus as Lord, not just with our lips but with our lives. This means trusting in God’s plan, even when it leads us through suffering or uncertainty. Let us ask for the grace to live as people of the new covenant, with hearts open to God’s will and minds fixed on the eternal truths of His kingdom.