Readings, Mass During the Day

First Reading—Acts 12:1–11
Responsorial Psalm—Psalm 34:2–3, 4–5, 6–7, 8–9
Second Reading—2 Timothy 4:6–8, 17–18
Gospel—Matthew 16:13–19
 

Hope in the Lord

• The first reading tells us the story of Peter being saved from persecution by Herod. Peter follows the angel of God, though he does not fully understand what is happening. Sometimes we can find it hard to find God in our broken world. We must, like Peter, trust in God’s abiding love for us.
• The Gospel similarly tells a story of Peter’s trust in the Lord. Jesus affirms Peter’s faith in Jesus as the “Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter’s wholehearted trust in God is what gives him strength to accept his role as the head of the Apostles in the early Church.
• Peter’s strength comes from his faith in God. We, too, can draw upon our faith in God to be strong witnesses of God’s presence and desire to be close to each of us.
• The second reading also shows Paul’s faith in the Lord. After his conversion, Paul is single-minded in bringing more souls to Christ. Paul would go on to endure many trials in his work to bring disciples for Christ, buoyed by his unwavering trust in God. He was a witness of hope in his words and deeds and gives us an example of wholehearted devotion to Jesus Christ.

Trust in Christ Brings Freedom

• We hear in all three of the readings today that Peter and Paul trust fully in God’s providence for them. Their faith in Jesus paves the way for them to lead others to God. They recognize that whatever else is going on around them is of little consequence next to their faith and trust in the Lord. We can take heart that these saints show us how to hold fast to God’s love. Our tumultuous culture can make it difficult to proclaim our faith. However, these readings remind us to keep our eyes on Christ.
• Throughout Paul’s writings, he points out that we are justified by Christ, not the law. His point is not to disparage the law but to emphasize the centrality of Christ. The law ultimately points to Christ and to life in the Spirit. Our life in the Spirit gives us freedom to be authentic and beloved children of God.
• For Catholics, it easy to fall into the trap of focusing on our obligations as mere obligations. We ask ourselves, “If I show up for Mass after the Scripture readings, does it count? What is the maximum I can eat on a fast day? Is it okay if I just go to Confession when I’ve done something really bad?” It is important to understand that our obligations are pathways to freedom. Rarely does a pianist, dancer, or athlete achieve excellence by doing the minimum. And yet, only the excellent pianist, dancer, or athlete is truly free vis-à-vis their particular art. The goal of Christian life is communion with God by becoming conformed to Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We don’t focus on obligations because we want to merely get by. Rather, we engage Catholic practices in order to become conformed to Christ, and thus to become free.

Witness to our Faith in God

• Our good is with God. That the Lord rescues his people is a message we hear time and again, especially in today’s Psalm. There may be conflict in this life, but God is faithful, and with him the psalmist finds life and peace. We are called to be beacons of hope fueled by our faith in God’s closeness.
• In the second reading, Paul takes comfort knowing he has offered his whole self in service to the Lord. He has been a witness to the faithfulness of God and upheld by God through difficult times. We can also take comfort when we know we “have finished the race [and] have kept the faith.” Our call is to run the race marked out for us with our eyes on Christ who saves us.
• The psalmist gives us the prayer of a person who is confident in the faithfulness of the Lord, and therefore steadfast in following him. In the Lord, we find true security, joy, and freedom. The Lord gives us the hope that is our source of strength.