You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.
And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. MT 16:18
ACTS 12:1-11 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
What great consolation we find in today's First Reading - truly my Lord if You are with us who can be against us. Who can stand against You, Beloved? No one. You are God and You are almighty, all-powerful, and You uphold all things with Your Word and sustain all that lives with Your Breath.
Those who plotted successfully to put You to death found that they were powerless against the power of Your Name so now the enemies of Truth sought to persecute the rest of the Apostles. Herod, that spawn of Satan seeing that the beheading of James pleased the enemies of the nascent Church proceeded to arrest Peter as well. But the Church of God prayed for him without ceasing. Here we see why the prayer of the Church is so powerful and why we are duty-bound to pray for our Holy Father and for bishops and priests.
There is no situation so hopeless God cannot intervene. Nothing is impossible with You as we see from the rescue and liberation of St. Peter. Neither guards, nor restraints, nor locked gates can prevent God from entering and setting free all His people. No situation is so dire that God cannot rectify it.
Thank You, Beloved for assuring us that You really are Emmanuel, You are God who is always with us. You are the Christ, the Anointed One, and You are Jesus - the One who saves. Thank You for this blessed assurance.
PSALM 33(34):2-9 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
Praise is fitting in all circumstances. Praise confounds the Enemy. Praise declares that faith in You has the power to foil all the plans of the wicked. Faith kindles hope and increases our love for You, our Lord, and our God.
If I boast let it boast of You. Despite all the difficult situations that I must face as I sojourn in this valley of tears I know that You our with me. Your righthand holds me fast. I may stumble often but You will not permit me to fall.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.
You always send angels to rescue me, to comfort me, to strengthen me. Thank You, Lord. I give You thanks for always sending me angels in the guise of people to minister to me when I face trials. You know I am poor, needy, helpless, frail, weak, and I need Your strong arms to lean on. Thank You for always providing me with just what I need when I cry out to You.
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8,17-18 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
The life of St. Paul is proof that no soul is beyond redemption. We look at all those who persecute Your Church and Your people today believing in Your power to bring these same people to their knees glorifying You and spreading the Good News just like St. Paul to the Gentiles.
Our steadfast faith, our prayers, our readiness to forgive and to turn the other cheek in times of trials, to remain silent as You did:
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
Grant us a living faith, a steadfast faith, a faith that is unwavering despite every trial persecution, and suffering so like St. Paul we may rejoice as we live in You and rejoice as we lay down our lives for You and for the Good News confident that we will receive the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
May I never doubt even for an instant that You O Lord will stand by me as You stood by St. Paul: The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
MATTHEW 16:13-19 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
It is most comforting for us to know that despite our weaknesses, our propensity to sin, our concupiscence, You do not look on our weakness but on our willingness to lean on You, to trust You, to keep our gaze on You with absolute faith and conviction that You who are the Son of God, the Eternal Word of the Father are with us and will remain with us always. Peter was God's choice despite all his frailties. God takes us as we are and He makes us a new creation. God's infinite mercy uses Peter's triple denial to bring him face-to-face with his own unworthiness and the necessity to lean on You always. A repentant, contrite heart You never spurn. You saw beyond who Peter currently was to the man that he could be with Your grace and the grace of the Holy Spirit. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’
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