Confession of St. Peter the Apostle

The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 16:13-19

Today, the Church remembers how the Apostle Peter was, by God's grace drawn to the inescapable conclusion that in fact,  Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, "the Messiah, the Son of the living God".  The whole Body of the faithful joins with Peter today, asking God to keep the Church firm on the "rock" of Peter's confession and to continue to empower the Church to proclaim the Gospel and follow one Lord.

We have to realize and always remember that the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, was given to an unworthy human being -  Peter, a regular person, just like you, and me. That reality is the rock on which Jesus has built His Church.  When we confess that Jesus, true God and true man, is our Lord, the power of God Himself is with us.  All of our sin, our failures, the wrongs we have done, the things we have left undone no longer have power to condemn us. Jesus has blessed us with the sure and certain hope of resurrection where the gates of death can never prevail against us. He, Jesus, the Messiah has entered the world, once for all.

Jesus is Lord, God, and Savior.

Almighty Father, Who inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the Living God: Keep Your Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, that in unity and peace we may proclaim the Gospel, and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Comments

[the barefoot poet]

Man, I needed to read that today. That Jesus intentionally built his church of fallen humans, I just needed to be reminded that it's his position as the Christ the Son of the Living God that holds the power, not mine. Thanks, man.