Daily Readings - Sat Feb 22 2025
1 Peter
1The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.4And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Matthew
13When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on leadership, humility, and the profound revelation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. In the first reading from 1 Peter, we hear a call to shepherding the flock of God with integrity and selflessness. Peter, who had once been a disciple, now writes as an elder, urging other leaders to care for the community not out of obligation or personal gain, but with willingness and generosity. This passage emphasizes the importance of humble and sincere leadership, rooted in a deep love for God and His people.
In the Gospel, we find a pivotal moment in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples report various opinions, but it is Peter who boldly declares, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This confession is not just a moment of personal insight; it is a divine revelation given to Peter by the Father. Jesus responds by establishing Peter as the rock upon which He will build His Church, granting him the keys of the kingdom and the authority to bind and loose. This passage underscores the central truth of Jesus’ identity and the foundational role of faith in the life of the Church.
These readings are deeply connected. Both emphasize the importance of leadership and faith. In 1 Peter, we see the call to lead with humility and integrity, while in Matthew, we witness the transformative power of faith in recognizing Jesus as the Son of God. Together, they remind us that our lives as Christians are rooted in the confession of faith and the call to serve one another in love. Let us strive to live out this faith in our daily lives, seeking to be humble leaders and faithful disciples, always mindful of the rock upon which our Church is built—Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.