Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (June 29, 2018): Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Thứ Năm, 28-06-2018 | 15:01:13

Today’s Readings:

Acts 12:1-11
Ps 34:2-9
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Matthew 16:13-19
www.usccb.org/bible/lecturas/062918-mass-day.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_06_29.mp3


A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
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.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. 
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 


Good News Reflection: Leadership that succeeds for Christ

What is good leadership? We see examples of it in Saints Peter and Paul and, of course, in Jesus himself.

In today’s Gospel story, Peter recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah, and then he is called to help others discover the same truth. All of us who are in any kind of leadership role have been given this same responsibility. It’s our primary mission as followers of Christ. It’s not just priests who are shepherds. Parents have been commissioned by Christ to shepherd their families. Teachers have been commissioned to shepherd their students. Employers have been commissioned to shepherd those who work under them.

Shepherding means this: Even when we cannot evangelize with words, we are to show, through our behaviors and attitudes and our compassion, what Jesus is like.

Paul suffered in his shepherd’s ministry (see the first reading), like Jesus did and like we do if we’re involved enough to really make a difference. The good news is that the strongholds of evil (“the gates of the netherworld”) cannot prevail against our Christ-inspired efforts.

The “gates” are people’s escape routes from evil. For followers of Christ, every leadership responsibility includes shepherding those who need to be rescued, guiding them toward Jesus who isThe Gate. A Christian leader who does not go into Satan’s territory to rescue lost souls nor protects his flock from wandering into danger is no follower of Christ, because this was Christ’s entire mission.

Those who are enslaved to sinful lifestyles and the devil’s deceptions do reject our efforts, but don’t let that stop you. Consider instead what’s imprisoning them: The root motivation for nearly everything they do comes from an unmet need to find the safe pasture of unconditional love. This means that, with a lot of unconditional love from us that stubbornly refuses to be chased away, they can be shepherded closer and closer toward the forgiveness and saving power of God. Meanwhile the Holy Spirit is working in their hearts. Even if we cannot see progress in them yet, change is coming.

We cannot drag them through the gate, but we can show them the way — the way of love and mercy — and pray that they will eventually recognize their escape opportunity. This is our calling!

For a similar reflection in a printer-ready copy for RCIA and other parish ministries, please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/June/Peter-Paul.htm

Today’s Prayer:

Beloved Lord, may Your Spirit guide me in all my paths, and may the holy anointing give me the strength I need to go wherever You send me. Amen.

© 2018 by Terry A. Modica

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