DGeMs- Daily Gospel eMessage
Dear Friend in the Lord,
“Peter the Rock – Church” – Faith: In today’s Gospel episode, Jesus said to Peter, “You are Peter and on this rock; I will build My Church. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it.” Ponder on, “Jesus proclaims His Divine Protection on His Church. He then gives Peter the “keys” – “divine authority” to bind and loosen what is on earth in heaven.”
Fr Philip Heng, S.J.
Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said, ‘who do you say I am?’
Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’
Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’