Thursday August 9
Introduction
Today we hear one of the most encouraging passages of Jeremiah: God will make a new covenant with humanity and write his law not in regulations but in our hearts. This was the covenant that Jesus made new and definitive on the cross. This is the covenant that we celebrate in this eucharist. With Peter, we recognize Jesus among us as the Savior, the Son of the living and loving God.
Jesus faces his apostles with the question “Who am I?” Peter, in the name of all, professes that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, even though probably there is no direct recognition here yet of his divinity, but rather of his divine origin. After this “confession,” the Lord gives Peter his mission as head of the apostolic college and of the Church. Now that they know who he is, he can tell them also of his passion, death and resurrection. Yet, this seems too much at that time: Peter protests. His faith is not strong enough. He thinks still in human terms. We profess to know who Jesus is. But do we too not think too often in merely human ways?
Opening Prayer
Lord, God of the covenant,
in this eucharist you offer us again
your communion of life and love,
your permanent friendship.
God, it is good to know that we are loved,
with a gratuitous love
that never betrays or deserts us
and rejoices with our joys.
Enlighten and purify
our fragile human loves,
that we may always be your people
and you our God for ever. Amen.
Reading 1 JER 31:31-34
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers:
the day I took them by the hand
to lead them forth from the land of Egypt;
for they broke my covenant,
and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD.
I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives
how to know the LORD.
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
Responsorial Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Alleluia MT 16:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 16:13-23
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
and 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."
Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
"God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you."
He turned and said to Peter,
"Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
Intercessions
– That we may be very grateful to God for remaining always faithful to the covenant he made with us even if we have been unfaithful, we pray:
– That we may be very much aware that in the name of the covenant we have also to be just, merciful and good to our neighbor, we pray:
– That we may appreciate that Jesus renews the covenant of love with us in every eucharistic celebration, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, our Father,
in these signs of bread and wine
we celebrate the new and everlasting covenant
which through your Son Jesus Christ
you have made with us.
May he bind us to you
with a bond that can never be undone
and write into our hearts his law of self-giving love,
that we may acclaim him
as our Lord for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer after Communion
Lord, God of dependable love,
in this eucharist we have experienced
how much you are a faithful God of love.
May we respond with fruitfulness to you
and cultivate the best in us
to offer it to you and to our brothers and sisters
not by law but gratuitously,
that all that we touch may be blessed
and give praise to you, our Father,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
“I will write my law on your hearts. I will be your God and you shall be my people.” If only we could me more aware of these words and this marvelous reality! May the almighty and loving God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Commentary
Moments after praising Peter as the rock and foundation of the Church, Jesus thunders at him: “Get behind me, Satan!” What went wrong?
When Jesus began speaking of his impending suffering and death, Peter could not take it any longer. Being the leader of the flock, Peter took the initiative to protect Jesus. Thus, his intentions were genuine. Unfortunately, in his eagerness, he played Satan, for the mission of Satan is to be an obstacle in the path of God, to prevent God’s Will. By standing before Jesus and protesting against what his Father willed for Jesus, Peter was inadvertently playing Satan. Jesus had to remind him with no little harshness that the place of a disciple was behind the Master, and not in front. The disciple does not lead. It is the Master who leads, and the disciple goes wherever the Master leads him.
In my eagerness to serve the Lord, do I sometimes play the devil by standing before the Lord and frustrating his plans?
