Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle

LECTIONARY
535

FIRST READING

1 PT 5:1-4

Beloved:
I exhort the presbyters among you,
as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ
and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.
Tend the flock of God in your midst,
overseeing not by constraint but willingly,
as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
Do not lord it over those assigned to you,
but be examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd is revealed,
you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

PSALM

PS 23:1-3A, 4, 5, 6

Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.

Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

GOSPEL

MT 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
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.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Daily Reflection

Today’s feast commemorates the role of Peter and his successors in the Church.

In his address to the elders, Peter stresses that he is also an elder among them. He provides the guidelines for all leaders: to shepherd God’s flock willingly, guarding it with a generous heart, and setting an example, without being overbearing – to follow the pattern set by Christ.

In the Gospel, we see Jesus give Peter the mandate to be the rock on which our Church is built. It is not because Peter has passed any test or because he is the only one to answer a key question correctly, it is because he has been open to God’s revelation. And the question is not only for the leaders of the Church. It is addressed to us too, so that we regularly examine our own motives for following Christ.

This feast does not belong to Peter alone, but to all who have come after. Let us pray, especially today, for Pope Francis who has been called to occupy the chair as the present successor of St Peter.