07 Aug 2025 – Thursday of Week 18
07 Aug 2025 – Thursday of Week 18
Optional Memorials: St Sixtus II & Companions, pope and four companions martyred in 258. St Cajetan, 1480-1547, founder of the Theatines to renew sacramental life in the Church.
1st Reading: Numbers 20:1-13
Grumbling at the lack of food, the people wished to return to Egypt. Moses will not see the Promised Land
The Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was buried there.
Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and against Aaron. The people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had died when our kindred died before the Lord! Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to bring us to this wretched place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink.” Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting; they fell on their faces, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus you shall bring water out of the rock for them; thus you shall provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.
So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he had commanded him. Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and by which he showed his holiness.
Responsorial: Psalm 94:1-2, 6-9
R./: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord:
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks,
with songs let us hail the Lord. (R./)
Come in; let us bow and bend low;
let us kneel before the God who made us
for he is our God and we the people of his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. (R./)
O that today you would listen to his voice!
‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
when they tried me, though they saw my work.’ (R./)
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-23
Peter’s profession of faith, his pastoral leadership, and his limited understanding
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
The rock and the flesh
Two words stand out in these readings: “rock” and “flesh.” In the Book of Numbers a rock in the mountains becomes a water source that was vital for survival. In Matthew, a “human rock” becomes the foundation of the church. Yet in the gospel “flesh” indicates the limitations of human nature, unable to fully understand Jesus. The weakness of the flesh shows up also in the people’s complaint about where Moses has led them.
It seems that even Moses had his doubts, for he struck the rock not once but twice. Yet God patiently bore the people’s murmuring and the doubts of Moses. When the majority would abandon their freedom, opting to return to Egypt, with its grains, figs, vines and pomegranates, God provided sweet water for them from a rock in the desert. Centuries later, when Israel was enjoying “the land flowing with milk and honey,” they proved that they could not manage prosperity nearly as well as adversity.
God’s covenants are not with single individuals, unless the person, like a king, is representative of the whole people. Such a one was Simon, son of John, who represented the faith of all the disciples, that Jesus was “the Christ”. Therefore Jesus changed his name to “Rock”, in Aramaic, Cephas; in Latin, Petrus; in English, Peter.
Peter’s role was to be both inspirational and faithful, a guide to lead and unite all Jesus’ disciples. He was the rock on which the wise can build the rock of unity and faith. This, at least, was Matthew’s concept of Peter, developed over many years, when Peter’s ministry in Antioch and elsewhere had been so splendid.
To see the “fleshly” side, the human weakness of Peter, we must read the gospel of Mark, who was Peter’s own helper and secretary in Rome. It is a portrayal much less triumphalist, but movingly real, of a hesitant man, devoted to following Jesus.
Called by two names
Jesus calls Peter by two contrasting names. First he calls him the Rock, ‘You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.’ But a few verses later, he calls Peter “Satan”.. “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me.”‘ Having called Peter the rock, Jesus then calls him a stumbling stone, an obstacle, for not thinking in God’s way.
The fact that Peter could be a stumbling stone does not mean that he ceased to be the rock that holds the church’s faith in unity. Like every human being, Peter was complex, in whom the wheat and weeds were mixed. In spite of his failings, Jesus appointed Peter as the rock, the focal point of the new community he came to form. The Lord keeps faith in us even after we have failed him. He works powerfully in and through flawed human beings. What he asks of us is that we keep trying to find and follow God’s way.
Let me begin with a story.
Long ago, in an ancient Indian kingdom, a wise and humble king yearned to understand how his people truly saw him—not as a distant ruler, but as a fellow human. So he exchanged his royal robes for the simple garb of a poor traveler and wandered from village to village. In one dust-laden hamlet, he helped an old woman carry water, broke bread with a beggar, and listened in silence as a grieving father poured out his sorrow.
No one knew who he was. No guards. No titles. No crown.
After days of quiet service, someone finally asked, “Who are you, really?” The king only smiled and replied, “Who do you say that I am?”
Silence filled the air. Then a child stepped forward and said, “You must be a king—because only a king would care for people like this.”
That same question has echoed through the centuries: “Who do you say that I am?”
It’s not just a question for the disciples, or for saints and scholars. It’s a question for every heart, in every generation.
Some say He was a prophet. Some, a teacher. Some, a good man. But Jesus isn’t seeking secondhand answers. He looks you in the eye and asks: “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answers, and the words are monumental: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In that moment, history shifts. Heaven responds. Grace is poured out, and Jesus declares, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.”
Let’s pause for a moment. In Greek, “Petros” means a small, movable stone; “Petra” means a massive, immovable rock. So what is Jesus truly saying?
Is Peter the rock? Yes—he becomes the visible leader, the first among equals. Is Christ Himself the rock? Certainly—“The Lord is my rock and my fortress.” Is it Peter’s confession of faith that’s the rock? Absolutely—his bold faith is foundational.
But no matter the angle, one truth stands unshaken: the true foundation is Christ.
Consider the Leaning Tower of Pisa—an architectural marvel, but one that wobbles because its foundation is weak. Our lives may look impressive, but unless Christ is our foundation, we too will lean; we too will fall.
“Everyone who hears My words and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.”
Then, something astounding: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Keys don’t just symbolize access—they convey responsibility. Not control, but care.
A locksmith doesn’t hastily hand over keys to his apprentice—he teaches care, wisdom, and service. The keys Christ gives aren’t for locking people out, but for unlocking grace, welcoming the lost, binding up the broken, and loosing the chains of guilt.
Yet, moments after Jesus praises Peter, Peter stumbles. When Jesus speaks of His coming suffering, Peter protests: “No, Lord! This must never happen.” Jesus replies, “Get behind me, Satan.” Why such strong words? Because Peter momentarily sees with human eyes, not God’s. Like us, he hopes for resurrection without the cross.
Jesus reminds us: “The Son of Man must suffer… and rise.” The path to glory always winds through the cross. No cross, no crown.
So what does this mean for us today? Let me offer three invitations:
1. Ask again—personally: Who is Jesus to you? Not to your parents, not your priest—to you. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Is He truly your center, or just a Sunday visitor?
2. Live like a key-bearer: You’ve been entrusted with grace—not to hoard, but to share. Speak truth with love; unlock hearts with mercy. St. Francis of Assisi put it beautifully: “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”
3. Lead with humility: Remember Peter’s words to Cornelius: “I too am only a man.” True leadership is not loud but low, not arrogant but servant-hearted—like a deepam, a small oil lamp shining by quiet surrender.
Let’s not forget Mary. Where Peter spoke boldly, Mary spoke with her life. Her silent, constant “yes” held the heart of the King. She never held the keys, but she bore the very foundation.
Around the world, people answer Jesus’ question differently. In Africa, He’s known as the Healer for the wounded. In Latin America, the Liberator for the poor. In Asia, the Silent Servant who transforms suffering into strength. Christ speaks every language, walks every land, and asks every heart: “Who do you say that I am?”
Peter denied, failed, and fell. But that was not the end. He was restored by grace, preached at Pentecost, broke barriers, and at the end, was crucified upside down out of love for Christ.
A stonecutter once said, “I’m not just cutting stones. I’m shaping a foundation for something greater than me. I may never see the final cathedral—but I know the foundation will last.” That is Peter. That is the Church. That is our call.
So let’s pause. Close your eyes and hear Him ask—not in judgment, but in love: “Who do you say that I am?” Let your heart answer, not just with words, but with your life.
St. Catherine of Siena proclaims, “Be who God meant you to be—and you will set the world on fire.”
So today:
• Speak with courage like Peter.
• Love with fire like Paul.
• Stand on the Rock.
“The gates of hell shall not prevail.” For our strength is not in stone, but in the Son.
May you speak with Peter’s courage, love with Paul’s passion, and build your life on the Rock that never fails.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.