The Readings:

In the first reading, Isaiah presented the appointment of a new leader for the people of Israel. The appointment of a new leader is a reminder that God upholds what is good and what is right for His people. The reading reminds us of the power of God over His people. The “people power” event in our country is an example of the power of God over His people. We must uphold what is right and what is good for all.

In the second reading, Paul reflected that God has done everything for the good of His people. God has made all things new and beautiful. The response of the community to the goodness of God must be one of gratitude and praises. They must live a new lifestyle in Christ. The reading reminds us about the grace of new life that we received in Christ. Thus, we must really live a genuine Christian life today.

In the gospel, Matthew stressed that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. He also presented Jesus who conferred to Peter the grace of leadership in the church. The church must be founded on faith that is strong and firm in the faith of Peter. Peter was given the power to bind and loose in the context of leadership in the Christian community. He was declared as the strong root that gives solidity to the teaching and the leadership of the church. The declaration of Peter on Jesus as the Son of God must be the foundation of the life of the new communities that would be established as the results of the proclamation of the good news of the kingdom. Faith, that is, unbreakable and unshakable must be the strong foundation of the church. For Matthew, the faith of Peter is a model of faith that the community must emulate. He inspired them to profess their faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God as they do their missions.

The Reflection:

In the Catholic Church, the pope is a symbol of the leadership and the authority of Peter. The church is infallible in terms of faith and morals. The ordained ministers of the church manifested the uniqueness of the leadership and the authority of the apostles. Being servant-leaders of the communities, they are to serve and to assist the Christian communities, not only in safeguarding and teaching the faith but also in helping them to live radically their Christian faith. Their authoritative power in Christian teaching and discipline must promote the unity of the church and the common good of the society. Being church of today, our challenge is to nourish our faith, to obey our authority and to work together for the promotion of the common welfare and the development of the human persons. What is your story of faith? How did your faith strengthen you in your weakness? How did it empower you to do your mission in life?

The Testimony:

When I was assigned as a parish priest of the Blessed Sacrament Parish, I worked hard to organize the Basic Ecclesial Communities in the different areas of the parish. The first thing that I did was to gather the people in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and, from there, everything flowed such as seminars and evangelizations, the formation of lay leaders, and many other things. My intention was that the Christian Communities that I served must discover and experience the riches of the Eucharist from which they would encounter the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God. I believed that I was given the privilege by the Lord to become His instrument in the proclamation of the gospel and in facilitating the Christian Communities to profess their faith in God in the many areas of their human lives. Moreover, I felt deeply the grace of being a servant-leader when I celebrated the Holy Eucharist with the members of the Christian Communities and when I was in solidarity with them during the times of trials and difficulties. I realized that to motivate the lay faithful to witness their faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is to profess my faith through a lifestyle of humble service and personal friendship with God. It is hard to proclaim Jesus Christ as the Messiah and the Son of God when I did not experience God and His personal love for me. Being a servant-leader of the church today is to assume a lifestyle of faith and self-giving in love in my ministries of preaching, teaching, and service. Like what Jesus said to Peter, I must also strengthen the faith of the faithful who were entrusted to me. And so, I am resolved to be possessed by the Word and by the Eucharist so that I may become a genuine example of a strong and life-giving faith in the Son of God.

The Eucharist:

The Eucharist is a celebration of the faith of the church in Jesus as the Son of God. The Eucharist becomes a symbol of the unity of the church. It reveals our identity as missionaries of God in the world. Thus, to celebrate the Eucharist is to manifest our faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. To receive Jesus in the Eucharist is to become genuine believers who guard our Christian faith and strengthen the faith of our fellow believers. To eat the body of Christ is to become servant-leaders who manifest the divine leadership of Christ in the church by our lifestyle of gentle compassion and unassuming services. Therefore, in this Eucharist, we pray that the Father in heaven may strengthen us in faith so that we may be able to manifest a steadfast faith in all the circumstances of our Christian lives. Yes, we pray that our Eucharistic celebration may become a declaration of our faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

May God bless us.

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