Holy Mother Church is Built on Peter - Strong and Vulnerable!

August 7, 2025 Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Numbers 20:1-13; Matthew 16:13-23

In the wilderness, the Israelites grumble once again, this time over a lack of water. Their longing for grain, figs, and pomegranates turns into rebellion. Moses and Aaron, overwhelmed, turn to God in prayer. God instructs Moses to speak to the rock in the presence of the people. But in a moment of frustration, Moses strikes the rock twice. Though water flows, God sees this act as disobedience and a failure to uphold His holiness. As a result, Moses is denied entry into the Promised Land.

In the Gospel, Jesus, in the region of Caesarea Philippi, invites His disciples to reflect on His identity. While many say He is a prophet, Peter boldly proclaims: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus affirms Peter’s faith and renames him the “rock” upon whom He will build His Church. This Church will stand strong against evil. Peter is entrusted with the keys to the kingdom, a spiritual authority to bind and loose on earth and in heaven. Yet Peter’s strength is soon met with vulnerability. When Jesus foretells His suffering and death in Jerusalem, Peter protests. Jesus rebukes him, calling him a stumbling block, not because Peter lacks love, but because he fails to grasp the divine necessity of suffering. Peter, like many of us, must learn that glory comes through sacrifice.

Call to Action: Discipleship is not about comfort, but courage. Like Peter, we are called to stand firm in faith, even when we fail. Can there be resurrection without the cross? Let us follow Jesus, embracing both the cost and the glory of discipleship.