This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations or collections of other scriptures setting out similar principles. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red describes what God wants us to avoid. Commentary is in blue.
Reading 1
Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace: “I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station.
On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open. I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
I will give thanks to your name, because of your kindness and your truth:
When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar.
Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
Reading II
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Or who has given the Lord anything that he may be repaid? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Alleluia
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.
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
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, andthe 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.
One theme that runs through today’s readings is God’s eternal, omnipotent, nature:
- “when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open”
- His “love is eternal,” and His “kindness ... endures forever”
- “To him be glory forever”
- “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
Another theme is His loving nature, His kindness, His goodness, His faithfulness:
- His “love is eternal;” His “kindness... endures forever”
- “When I called, you answered me”
- “you built up strength within me”
Today’s psalm makes it clear that God responds when we humbly call/come to Him:
- “you have heard the words of my mouth”
- “When I called, you answered me”
- “you built up strength within me”
- “the lowly he sees”
These realities—and they are indeed realities—are also reflected in the scriptures collected inWisdom Principles—God is a Refuge for Those Who Love Him
So how do we respond to those principles, what do we do? Today’s readings give us some direction:
- Thank and praise Him
- Come to Him, talk to Him, lay your problems, concerns, hopes and wishes before Him
- Trust Him and the ultimate goodness of His will/plan
when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open
your love is eternal
you have heard the words of my mouth
your love is eternal
your kindness and your truth
When I called, you answered me
When I called, you answered me
you built up strength within me.
your love is eternal
The LORD is exalted
The LORD is exalted
the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar.
Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever
Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever
your love is eternal
the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways
from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be glory forever
the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God
the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
give thanks
sing your praise
give thanks
the proud
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