Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Reflection:

Our gospel for today is from Matthew 16:13-20 which tells us who Jesus is. This is a very important message to us since this will connect us to how deep our faith is. As Jesus and His disciples were conversing, there are valuable insights for us.

The message from the gospel of Matthew 16:13-20 is amazing. When an individual fails to dig deeper the true meaning of it, it does not mean anything. It talks about Jesus as the only Messiah that saved and will save us all from hell. He is the rock in which Peter is leaning upon. He is the authority above us all. He is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega. He will rule for all eternity even if we will fade, He is still there.

How can we reflect our gospel from Matthew 16:13-20 in our present situation today? Well, the world is a total chaos here and there. The people in all race and ethnicity and religions spread among nations. Different cultures, different beliefs and of course different perspective in religion. Even with this diversity, Christians still have the same rock they lean on. It is Christ Jesus, the only Messiah and ruler of the world.

No matter how far and how different people are, when it comes to being Christian, they all have the same Messiah. With this, the rock that Jesus told Simon Peter is now the church itself. The church where people pray and ask God for the blessings and guidance. The church of Jesus.

Matthew 16:13-20 is reminding us that no matter how hard life may be, we have always the rock to lean upon. We have to lean onto Jesus as He is the strongest pillar that nothing can break. If we are weak at the moment, ask Him and He will help you. In every problem we encounter, Jesus is the only help we have. So, no matter what you do, let Him take over your life for the better. – Clea | Helpline PH