These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
“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.”
———
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.” (Mt 16:13-23)
It’s always good to get the full context of a passage of scripture in order to better understand what the author intended. To hear only the first part of this passage gives us an inflated understanding of Peter’s role in the community. But with the second part we begin to understand how flawed “Rocky” can be and the need to think as God does. Today’s picture is of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
Jesus said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!”
(Mt 15:21-28)
We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord,
trusting in our own righteousness,
but in your abundant and great mercies.
We are not worthy so much as to gather up
the crumbs under your table;
but you are the same Lord
whose character is always to have mercy.
Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord,
so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ,
and to drink his blood,
that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,
and our souls washed through his most precious blood,
and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
Saint John Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 51)
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not off from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
God truly is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, and full of kindness. Would that we were too!
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 81)
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
“Israel I would feed with the best of wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would fill them.”
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
God gives us the best food and drink, the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation, Jesus Christ our Lord. Today is the fifth anniversary of the passing of my Colombian Madrecita, Ofelia Arroyave.
Jesus said to them,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (Jn 6:24-35)
Jesus the Bread of Life who satisfies the deepest hungers of the human family. The one who prepares a table for us so that we may never hunger, never thirst.
