by Joanne Wallace – Pastoral Associate for St. Marie’s & St. Bernadette’s and St. Teresa’s, Upholland
Matthew 16:13-20: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. 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.’ Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Last week, I took some time off to spend with the family. We had a great afternoon in Liverpool, visiting a new attraction that is based on optical illusions, with mazes and upside-down rooms, which was good fun. A board outside the attraction reads, “I must try to see things differently”. ‘How apt for the year 2020’, I thought! In fact, it has occurred to me how the term ‘20/20 vision’ is used for those who have clear vision and I wonder if ‘Year 2020 vision’ is what we have been given; it has indeed helped us to see things more clearly and clarify our aims, desires and needs in life. In the gospel this week, Simon Peter has the clarity to see Jesus for who he is – the Messiah. I hope that as a society and parish community, we can continue to have the compassion and vision that 2020 has reminded us we need, so we can be the church God has called us to be.
