＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Acts 12:1-11

About that time King Herod

Decided to per­se­cute some members of the Church. He had James, the bro­ther of John, killed with the sword, and when he saw how it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This happened during the festival of the Unleavened Bread. 

Herod had him seized and thrown into prison with four squads, each of four soldiers, to guard him. He wanted to bring him to trial before the people after the Passover feast, but while Peter was kept in prison, the whole Church prayed earnestly for him. 

 On the very night before He­rod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound by a double chain, while guards kept watch at the gate of the prison.  Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there and a light shone in the prison cell.

The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him saying, “Get up quickly!” At once the chains fell from Peter’s wrists. The angel said, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” Peter did so, and the angel added, “Now, put on your cloak and follow me.”

 Peter followed him out; yet he did not realize that what was happening with the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first guard and then the second and they came to the iron door leading out to the city, which opened of itself for them. They went out and made their way down a narrow alley, when suddenly the angel left him.

 Then Peter recovered his senses and said, “Now I know that the Lord has sent his angel and has rescued me from He­rod’s clutches and from all that the Jews had in store for me.”

 

Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18*

 As for me, I am already poured out as a libation, and the moment of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteous­ness with which the Lord, the just judge, will reward me on that day; and not only me, but all those who have longed for his glorious coming.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 16:13-19

After that Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of man is?” They said, “For some of them you are John the Baptist, for others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Bar­jona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.

And now I say to you: You are Peter (or Rock) and on this rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.

 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and what you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

The trials and tribulations of this life are nothing compared to the glory that awaits those who remain faithful to Jesus and the mission that he has entrusted to us.

Our fidelity to him and to the Gospel will surely not spare us from the difficulties of life, nor from having to deal with the challenges of ordinary everyday life and existence.

And yet, there is something that our faith, confidence and trust in Jesus gives us, something that is hidden and unknown to those who do not believe: an invincible joy, happiness, tranquility, calm and peace that are the results of an indestructible faith in his biding presence.

That is what strengthened Peter and Paul as well as all the apostles, the martyrs, and the entire cloud of witnesses that have, for two thousand years, shown what a steadfast faith in Jesus Christ brings.

With him and in him, are all “conquerors”, we have “overcome the world”, and there is absolutely nothing that can” separate” us from him.