THE CHAIR

Today we celebrate the "Feast of the Chair of St. Peter.” Since this is the case, we might as well think of what kind of chair we are sitting at. All of us have been given a certain post in life by the Lord. We can call it a mission or a purpose in life. We have to give it our best shot and be the person God has meant us to be as we aim to fulfill our God given destiny. Whatever that is to us, it should bring about what we should all look forward to receive on that final day when we bid goodbye to our present life here on earth, our reward in heaven and the unfading crown of glory. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Peter 5:1-4
...Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

When it comes to the people we love and care for, we are willing to give our all just to make them happy. There are times when our best still fall short and do not measure up. This is because we are not perfect and we can only do so much. This explains why no matter how many people love us and how much money or things we own nothing or no one can ever satisfy us to the full. We would always end up looking for something more unless we belong to the fold and under the care of the Good Shepherd. Amen. Hallelujah!



Psalms 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6
R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

The “Feast of the Chair of St. Peter” refers to his office, the firm rock upon the Church is built. The papacy of St. Peter is the longest lasting institution in the world. No empire, kingship or government bureaucracy has lasted as long as the papacy yet. Up to this time, his office and the Catholic Church remain. Peter was given by Jesus a double kind of authority. We can see how almost the same words referring to the keys were spoken of in Isaiah 22:22-23, "I will place the key of the House of David on his 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;" This was at the time when there was a change in prime minister in the kingdom of Judah. This is a good image of what St. Peter’s role is. He is not the king nor does he opens and shuts not the doors of St Peter's Basilica in Rome or the Vatican Office but the kingdom of heaven. He has been given the keys which is a tremendous authority. Not only that he has been given authority to bind and loose on earth as in heaven. This could be traced back to the rabbinic kind of authority. If there are people who could understand this authority better, then they are those who know the Jewish tradition. The rabbi sends apostles and gives them authority to represent them as the word itself means "to be sent." St. Peter is the first elected authority of Jesus here on earth. The succession of his chair is what the Church recognizes as the authority given by Jesus Himself to lead His followers. It is also a consolation that Jesus himself said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, the Church where we belong. Amen. Hallelujah!


Matthew 16:13-19
...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. 19 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.”