Homily for Saturday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time Year II
Theme: The Role of Peter
By: Fr. Benny Tuazon
Homily for Saturday February 22 2020
(Mt. 16:13-19) Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, Feast of the Chair of Peter, we hear the important role of Peter in Jesus’ building of the Church. Up to this time, Jesus had been with the apostles enough for them to have made a decision who Jesus was. Jesus began by asking them how He had come across people who had met Him. But it was more important for Jesus to know who He was for them. Peter, graced by the Father, proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. However, Peter appeared not to have understood Jesus’ messiahship. Later, Jesus would scold him for his confession to defend Jesus which was, in fact, against the Father’s will.
Peter, the designated leader of the apostles, was not the usual leader anyone would appoint. He was raw, uneducated, but courageous, and aggressive to a fault. Jesus knew Peter’s weaknesses. He also knew who He wanted to lead His Church. After Peter’s experience of being rebuked and found guilty of denial, He was never the same again. After Jesus’ resurrection, more and more he came to know Jesus. During the early years of the Church, his weakness still persisted. His encounters with Paul regarding the issue between the Gentiles and the Hebrews say a lot about Peter and the early Church. But that is another story.
Peter represents well the true condition of the Church Jesus Christ founded. She is holy and sinful. Peter had a lot of weaknesses highlighted by his triple denial of Jesus. We have to assume that he repented when he realized what he had done. He was not that skillful the way a leader should be. He only banked on his faith and what he heard Jesus said and saw Jesus did. He was a perfect witness the human and divine Jesus. His openness to the Spirit was his best asset. He was humble and willing to learn. Jesus only needed those qualities to combine with faith and stir the Church towards the Kingdom.
The Chair of Peter is the authority God has endowed to the Church through him to continue the mission Jesus started. In the Chair of Peter we receive everything We need to enter the Kingdom. By the Chair of Peter we humbly accept our weaknesses and hold on, in faith, to God’s redeeming and merciful love. And with the Chair of Peter, we join Jesus in His mission.