Eedara Vamshi csc –
Readings: 1 Pet 5: 1-4; Mt 16: 13-19
Today we celebrate the feast of the Chair of St. Peter in the Mother Church. This feast has been celebrated in Rome since the fourth century, as a sign of the unity of the Church. The chair of Peter represents the authority of Peter and his successors. This is the feast of
the Holy See.
Today’s readings invite us to a deeper relationship with God and his people. In the first reading, St. Peter tells the elders to shepherd the flock with humility, knowing that they are overseers appointed by God. In the gospel reading, Jesus asks his disciples a crucial question about his identity.
Peter, one of his disciples, answers Jesus’ question by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus also asks each one of us the same question about his identity. Our answer should be like Peter’s: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
This confession makes us believe in the divine nature of Jesus Christ. It is not just a theological statement, but a personal and deep recognition of Christ’s Lordship. In our spiritual journey, we are constantly invited to make this confession anew, reaffirming our commitment to follow the one who is the Son of the living God.
These readings remind us again that our journey of faith is not solitary. The Church is not a mere human institution, it is a divine reality founded on the confession of Christ’s Lordship. Our shared belief in Jesus as the Son of the living God unites us across time and space, connecting us to the apostolic foundation on which the Church is built. So let us keep our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.