Thursday, August 04, 2005
CORRECTED - THURSDAY 18TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
AUGUST 4, 2005
MEMORIAL, ST. JOHN MARIE VIANNEY, PRIEST
THURSDAY 18TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR I
NUMBERS 20:1-13
The whole congregation of the children of Israel arrived in the desert
of Zin in the first month, and the people settled at Kadesh. It was
here that Miriam died, and here that she was buried. As the community
had no water, they held a council against Moses and Aaron. The people
contended with Moses, exclaiming, "Would that we too had perished with
our kinsmen in the LORD's presence! Why have you brought the LORD's
assembly into this desert where we and our livestock are dying? Why did
you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place which
has neither grain nor figs nor vines nor pomegranates? Here there is
not even water to drink!" But Moses and Aaron went away from the
assembly to the entrance of the meeting tent, where they fell
prostrate. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them, and the LORD
said to oses, "Take your staff and assemble the community, you and your
brother Aaron, and in their presence order the rock to yield its
waters. From the rock you shall bring forth water for the congregation
and their livestock to drink." So Moses took his staff from its place
before the LORD, as he was ordered. He and Aaron assembled the
community in front of the rock, where he said to them, "Listen to me,
you rebels! Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?" Then,
raising his hand,
Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out in
abundance for the people and their livestock to drink. But the LORD
said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you were not faithful to me in
showing forth my sanctity before the children of Israel, you shall not
lead this community into the land I will give them." These are the
waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended against the
LORD, and where the LORD revealed his sanctity among them.
MATTHEW 16:13-23
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and 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." Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he
was the Christ. From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the
chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be
raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God
forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and
said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You
are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
REFLECTION
Why did Jesus choose Peter to be the keystone of His church on earth?
Jesus knew that the time was nearing for him to suffer and die on the
cross. He had to choose someone. But why Peter?
Could Jesus have chosen any of his other disciples? Were any of them
more qualified than Peter? What were Peter's qualifications? The
normal human problems we all have: character deficiencies and inner
conflicts. We all know that later on Peter would deny Jesus three times
because he would be afraid for his life. Peter was not perfect.
Perhaps this is why Peter was chosen, because he was not perfect,
because of his imperfections and his flawed humanity; perhaps Jesus
chose him to remind us that we need not be perfect in order to be good
Christians and to practice God's teachings.
God trusted Peter. Why is it so difficult for us to trust one
another?
Perhaps most of us will never become great leaders or famous people,
nor will we be called on to die for our beliefs. We may never be in a
situation in which fidelity will demand the ultimate sacrifice. What
is important is for us to do our best in all our actions, to practice
love for our fellow men during the routines of our daily living, and to
love our God with our whole body, our whole mind and with our whole
soul.
Wouldn't the world be a much better place if every one of us practiced
our Christian teaching and did God's work while we are able?
PRAYER
"Lord Jesus, I profess and believe that you are the Christ, the Son of
the living God. You are my Lord and my Savior. Make my faith strong
like Peter's and give me boldness to speak of you to others that they
may come to know you personally as Lord and Savior and grow in the
knowledge of your love".
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