[Catholic Caucus Devotional] My Catholic Life! Catholic Daily Reflections: The Church Shall Prevail

“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.” Matthew 16:17–19

Though the Church will suffer in many ways, She will ultimately overcome all things. As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we are reminded of this truth by pondering their lives as two of the greatest pillars of the Church. Neither imprisonments, persecutions, nor apparent defeats kept them from fulfilling the mission God gave them. Likewise, the Church will never be overcome, for She remains under the guardianship of divine providence.

The Church shall prevail for one simple reason: Jesus said so. He founded the Church upon the Twelve Apostles, giving unique and supreme authority to Peter: “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.” Though Peter’s given name was Simon, Jesus changed it to Peter—Petros in Greek and Cephas in Aramaic. Both terms can be used as a man’s name but also mean “rock.” Hence, Peter, and the Apostles in union with him, become the rock and immovable foundation upon which the Church is built.

By giving Peter “the keys to the Kingdom of heaven,” Jesus granted him singular authority to teach, govern, and sanctify with divine authority. This authority did not end with Peter; it is passed on to his successors through the office of bishop. Since Peter died in Rome, Rome remains the see of the Church’s divinely established governance.

Though Peter offers the Church the stability and clarity necessary as the immovable rock foundation, Paul reflects the Church’s missionary role to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This is seen especially in today’s second reading, where Paul, facing the end of his earthly life, proclaims that he has “competed well,” “finished the race,” and “kept the faith.” His life was poured out as a libation for Christ, tirelessly laboring to make the Gospel known to all nations. While Peter ensures the Church’s unity and fidelity to divine truth, Paul embodies her zeal to spread that truth to every corner of the world, calling all people into communion with Christ and His Church.

Peter and Paul remain spiritually alive and active today through the unbroken tradition God established through them. Often at World Youth Day, when the Holy Father is present, young people chant, “You are Peter!” It is a beautiful expression of their faith in this foundational truth Christ established... Thus, Peter’s mission remains alive today, not only in the person of the Holy Father, but also in our faith in his divinely given authority.

Reflect today on these pillars of the Church and acknowledge the living witness they gave and continue to give. Renew your faith in Peter, alive in the Holy Father, professing him as the rock foundation. See Paul at work by recognizing the missionary activity of the Church, carried out by countless souls with zeal and courage. Allow their witness to inspire within you a deeper love for the Church, and commit yourself anew to the mission entrusted to you: to remain firmly rooted in the truth and to bring that truth to the world with boldness and charity.

Saints Peter and Paul, God called you in powerful and unique ways, making you pillars of the Church. Please pray for us, and for the entire Church, that we may continue the mission Christ entrusted to you. I especially entrust myself to that mission and pray that I may remain faithful to it in imitation of your example. Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY(RSV)

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

Today’s First Reading

From: Acts 12:1-11

Persecution by Herod. Peter's Arrest and Deliverance
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[1] About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. [2] He killed James the brother of John with the sword; [3] and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. [4] And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. [5] So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

[6] The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; [7] and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands. [8] And the angel said to him, "Dress yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me." [9] And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. [10] When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. [11] And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

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Commentary:

1-19. This is an account of persecution of the Church by Herod Agrippa (37-44), which took place before the visit of Paul and Barnabas to the Holy City (cf. 11:30).

The information given in this chapter about the latest persecution of the Jerusalem community--more severe and more general than the earlier crises (cf. 5:17; 8:1)—gives an accurate picture of the situation in Palestine and describes events in chronological sequence. Prior to this the Roman governors more or less protected the rights of the Jerusalem Christians. Now Agrippa, in his desire to ingratiate himself with the Pharisees, abandons the Christians to the growing resentment and hatred the Jewish authorities and people feel towards them.

This chapter brings to an end, so to speak, the story of the first Christian community in Jerusalem. From now on, attention is concentrated on the church of Antioch. The last stage of the Palestinian Judeo-Christian church, under the direction of James "the brother of the Lord", will not experience the expansion enjoyed by other churches, due to the grave turn which events take in the Holy Land.

1. This Herod is the third prince of that name to appear in the New Testament. He was a grandson of Herod the Great, who built the new temple of Jerusalem and was responsible for the massacre of the Holy Innocents (cf. Mt 2:16); he was also a nephew of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee at the time of our Lord's death. Herod Agrippa I was a favorite of the emperor Caligula, who gradually gave him more territory and allowed him to use the title of king. Agrippa I managed to extend his authority over all the territory his grandfather had ruled: Roman governors had ruled Judea up to the year 41, but in that year it was given over to Herod. He was a sophisticated type of person, a diplomat, so bent on consolidating his power that he had become a master of intrigue and a total opportunist. For largely political motives he practiced Judaism with a certain rigor.

2. James the Greater would have been martyred in the year 42 or 43. He was the first Apostle to die for the faith and the only one whose death is mentioned in the New Testament. The Liturgy of the Hours says of him: "The son of Zebedee and the brother of John, he was born in Bethsaida. He witnessed the principal miracles performed by our Lord and was put to death by Herod around the year 42. He is held in special veneration in the city of Compostela, where a famous church is dedicated to his name."

"The Lord permits this death," Chrysostom observes, "to show his murderers that these events do not cause the Christians to retreat or desist" ("Hom. on Acts", 26).

5. "Notice the feelings of the faithful towards their pastors. They do not riot or rebel; they have recourse to prayer, which can solve all problems. They do not say to themselves: we do not count, there is no point in our praying for him. Their love led them to pray and they did not think along those lines. Have you noticed what these persecutors did without intending to? They made (their victims) more determined to stand the test, and (the faithful) more zealous and loving" ("Hom. On Acts", 26).

St Luke, whose Gospel reports our Lord's words on perseverance in prayer (cf. 11:13; 18:1-8), here stresses that God listens to the whole community's prayer for Peter. He plans in his providence to save the Apostle for the benefit of the Church, but he wants the outcome to be seen as an answer to the Church's fervent prayer.

7-10. The Lord comes to Peter's help by sending an angel, who opens the prison and leads him out. This miraculous freeing of the Apostle is similar to what happened at the time of Peter and John's detention (5:19f) and when Paul and Silas are imprisoned in Philippi (16:19ff).

This extraordinary event, which must be understood exactly as it is described, shows the loving care God takes of those whom he entrusts with a mission. They must strive to fulfill it, but they will "see" for themselves that he guides their steps and watches over them.

Today’s Second Reading

From: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

The Crown of Righteousness
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[6] For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

[17] For the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. [18] The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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Commentary:

6-8. Conscious of his closeness to death, St Paul writes in poetic strain about his life in the service of the Gospel, about the meaning of death and his hope of heaven. The imagery he uses shows how he interprets his experience in the light of faith. "On the point of being sacrificed": literally "poured out in sacrifice": death is an offering to God, like the libations of oil poured on the altar of sacrifices. Death is the beginning of a journey: "the point of my departure has come", the anchor is being weighed, the sails unfurled.

The Christian life is like magnificent Games taking place in the presence of God, who acts as the judge. In Greece the Games had close connections with religious worship; St Paul presents the Christian life as a type of spiritual sport: "races" indicates the continuous effort to achieve perfection (cf. Phil 3:14); training for athletics indicates the practice of self-denial (cf. 1 Cor 9:26-27); fighting stands for the effort required to resist sin even if that means death, as can happen in the event of persecution (cf. Heb 12:4). It is well worthwhile taking part in this competition, because, as St John Chrysostom points out, "the crown which it bestows never withers. It is not made of laurel leaves, it is not a man who places it on our head, it has not been won in the presence of a crowd made up of men, but in a stadium full of angels. In earthly competitions a man fights and strives for days and the only reward he receives is a crown which withers in a matter of hours [. . .]. That does not happen here: the crown he is given is a glory and honor whose brilliance lasts forever ("Hom. on 2 Tim, ad loc".).

All Christians who "have loved his appearing", that is, who stay true to Christ, share St Paul's expectation of eternal life. "We who know about the eternal joys of the heavenly fatherland should hasten to reach it by the more direct route" (St Gregory the Great, "In Evangelia Homiliae", 16).

9-18. In his letters St Paul often asks people to do things for him; his messages here are particularly moving, given as they are on the eve of his martyrdom. He is following the example of Christ: he puts his trust in God even though his friends desert him (vv. 10-12, 16); his enemies harass him more than ever, yet he forgives them (vv. 14, 16); in the midst of his sufferings he praises the Lord (v. 18). His mention of Thessalonica, Galatia, Dalmatia, Ephesus, Troas, Corinth and Miletus show how warmly he remembers places which were very receptive to the Christian message. These few verses constitute a mini-biography.

His generosity of spirit is shown by the fact that he mentions so many disciples by name; to all he gave of his best; some of them fell by the wayside but most of them stayed faithful; some are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles or in other letters, but for others this is the only mention in the New Testament. However, all without exception must have been very present to the Apostle who became "all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (1 Cor 9:22).

16-17. St Paul points to the contrast between the way men treat him and the way God does. Because of the hazards involved in staying with Paul or defending him, some of his friends, even some of his closest friends, have deserted him; whereas God stays by his side.

"You seek the company of friends who, with their conversation and affection, with their friendship, make the exile of this world more bearable for you. There is nothing wrong with that, although friends sometimes let you down. But how is it you don't frequent daily with greater intensity the company, the conversation, of the great Friend, who never lets you down?" (St J. Escriva, "The Way", 88).

Today’s Gospel Reading

From: Matthew 16:13-19

Peter's Profession of Faith and His Primacy
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[13] Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of Man is?" [14] And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" [16] Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven."

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Commentary:

13-20. In this passage St. Peter is promised primacy over the whole Church, a primacy which Jesus will confer on him after His Resurrection, as we learn in the Gospel of St. John (cf. John 21:15-18). This supreme authority is given to Peter for the benefit of the Church. Because the Church has to last until the end of time, this authority will be passed on to Peter's successors down through history. The Bishop of Rome, the Pope, is the successor of Peter.

The solemn Magisterium of the Church, in the First Vatican Council, defined the doctrine of the primacy of Peter and his successors in these terms:

"We teach and declare, therefore, according to the testimony of the Gospel that the primacy of jurisdiction over the whole Church was immediately and directly promised to and conferred upon the blessed Apostle Peter by Christ the Lord. For to Simon, Christ had said, `You shall be called Cephas' (John 1:42). Then, after Simon had acknowledged Christ with the confession, `You are the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matthew 16:16), it was to Simon alone that the solemn words were spoken by the Lord: `Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the powers of Hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and what you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven' (Matthew 16:17-19). And after His Resurrection, Jesus conferred upon Simon Peter alone the jurisdiction of supreme shepherd and ruler over His whole fold with the words, `Feed My lambs....Feed My sheep' (John 21:15-17) [...]

"(Canon) Therefore, if anyone says that the blessed Apostle Peter was not constituted by Christ the Lord as the Prince of all the Apostles and the visible head of the whole Church militant, or that he received immediately and directly from Jesus Christ our Lord only a primacy of honor and not a true and proper primacy of jurisdiction: let him be condemned.

"Now, what Christ the Lord, Supreme Shepherd and watchful guardian of the flock, established in the person of the blessed Apostle Peter for the perpetual safety and everlasting good of the Church must, by the will of the same, endure without interruption in the Church which was founded on the rock and which will remain firm until the end of the world. Indeed, `no one doubts, in fact it is obvious to all ages, that the holy and most blessed Peter, Prince and head of the Apostles, the pillar of faith, and the foundation of the Catholic Church, received the keys of the kingdom from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and the Redeemer of the human race; and even to this time and forever he lives,' and governs, `and exercises judgment in his successors' (cf. Council of Ephesus), the bishops of the holy Roman See, which he established and consecrated with his blood. Therefore, whoever succeeds Peter in this Chair holds Peter's primacy over the whole Church according to the plan of Christ Himself [...]. For this reason, `because of its greater sovereignty,' it was always `necessary for every church, that is, the faithful who are everywhere, to be in agreement' with the same Roman Church [...]

"(Canon) Therefore, if anyone says that it is not according to the institution of Christ our Lord himself, that is, by divine law, that St Peter has perpetual successors in the primacy over the whole Church; or if anyone says that the Roman Pontiff is not the successor of St Peter in the same primacy: let him be condemned.

"We think it extremely necessary to assert solemnly the prerogative which the only-begotten Son of God deigned to join to the highest pastoral office. "And so, faithfully keeping to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, for the glory of God our Savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion, and for the salvation of Christian peoples, We, with the approval of the sacred council, teach and define that it is a divinely revealed dogma: that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks "ex cathedra", that is, when, acting in the office of shepherd and teacher of all Christians, he defines, by virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, possesses through the divine assistance promised to him in the person of St. Peter, the infallibility with which the divine Redeemer willed His Church to be endowed in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals; and that such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are therefore irreformable because of their nature, but not because of the agreement of the Church.

"(Canon) But if anyone presumes to contradict this our definition (God forbid him to do so): let him be condemned" (Vatican I, "Pastor Aeternus", Chaps. 1, 2 and 4).

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