Reading 1
Nm 20:1-13

The whole congregation of the children of Israel
arrived in the desert of Zin in the first month,
and the people settled at Kadesh.
It was here that Miriam died, and here that she was buried.

As the community had no water,
they held a council against Moses and Aaron.
The people contended with Moses, exclaiming,
“Would that we too had perished with our kinsmen in the LORD’s presence!
Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this desert
where we and our livestock are dying?
Why did you lead us out of Egypt,
only to bring us to this wretched place
which has neither grain nor figs nor vines nor pomegranates?
Here there is not even water to drink!”
But Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly
to the entrance of the meeting tent, where they fell prostrate.

Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them,
and the LORD said to Moses,
“Take your staff and assemble the community,
you and your brother Aaron,
and in their presence order the rock to yield its waters.
From the rock you shall bring forth water for the congregation
and their livestock to drink.”
So Moses took his staff from its place before the LORD, as he was ordered.
He and Aaron assembled the community in front of the rock,
where he said to them, “Listen to me, you rebels!
Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?”
Then, raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff,
and water gushed out in abundance for the people
and their livestock to drink.
But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
“Because you were not faithful to me
in showing forth my sanctity before the children of Israel,
you shall not lead this community into the land I will give them.”

These are the waters of Meribah,
where the children of Israel contended against the LORD,
and where the LORD revealed his sanctity among them.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tested me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Gospel
Mt 16:13-23

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
and he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
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.
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.”

Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

The Word Among Us

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Meditation
Matthew 16:13-23

You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)

Finally, Peter recognized who Jesus is and proclaimed him before all the other apostles. You can almost imagine Jesus crying out, “By Jove, I think he’s got it!” Peter finally grasped the stupendous fact that Jesus was not just a prophet or a wonder-worker but the anointed Messiah of God. And he didn’t come to this knowledge on his own. It came by listening to the Father’s voice.

However, the fact that Peter had received a magnificent revelation about Jesus did not mean he understood everything about Jesus’ mission. Only a short time later, Jesus put this “Rock” of the church in the same league with Satan! Peter couldn’t grasp that the Messiah had to suffer and die like a common criminal. And, despite his having just proclaimed Jesus as the chosen one on a special mission from God, he couldn’t accept Jesus’ words about precisely how that mission was going to be completed.

We should all be able to identify with Peter’s split personality. After all, we have the same kind of conflict within ourselves. We may know the truth about who God is and how we should live, but our words and actions don’t always correspond to it—not to mention our fundamental philosophy of life! The good news is that like Peter, we too are on a learning curve. If we keep trying to live by his inspiration, the Holy Spirit can gradually transform us. If we make it a practice to examine our consciences and repent of our sins, we will find ourselves more apt to fight temptation—and we will grow closer to the Lord.

1 Peter, written decades after Peter’s youthful mistake, is proof that God is capable of transforming us. In this letter, Peter not only speaks of “the sufferings destined for Christ” (1 Peter 1:11); he also tells his readers to rejoice to the extent that they share in these sufferings (4:13). This is the same Peter who said Jesus shouldn’t suffer—the same Peter who was afraid to come to him on the water, and who denied him three times. If he could change this dramatically, we should expect no less for ourselves!

“Lord, thank you that you are as patient with me as you were with Peter! May I always be open to the promptings of your Holy Spirit, and may I grow more like you every day.”

Numbers 20:1-13; Psalm 95:1-2,6-9

One Bread, One Body

<< Thursday, August 9, 2007 >>

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Numbers 20:1-13

Psalm 95

Matthew 16:13-23

View Readings

INFINITE MERCY

"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you were not faithful to Me in showing forth My sanctity before the Israelites, you shall not lead this community into the land.' " —Numbers 20:12

Moses either struck the rock one too many times or had a bad attitude or said the wrong thing. Somehow, he did not show forth God's sanctity in bringing forth water from the rock. This kept Moses from entering the promised land.

Thank God we live in the New Testament, in the season of God's mercy. We hope we will never sin again, but "if anyone should sin, we have, in the presence of the Father, Jesus Christ, an Intercessor Who is just. He is an Offering for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world" (1 Jn 2:1-2).

We know that the Lord will forgive even the worst sinners seventy times seven (Mt 18:22). We should not use this as an excuse to sin, but it's good to know that no sins are too many or too bad for the Lord to forgive, if we only repent. "You can depend on this as worthy of full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tm 1:15).

Moses didn't get a second chance to enter the promised land. However, we are given hundreds, even thousands of chances to enter the ultimate promised land of heaven. Lord, have mercy!

Prayer: Merciful Father, thank You for forgiving me when I wouldn't even forgive myself.

Promise: "I for My part declare to you, you are 'Rock,' and on this rock I will build My Church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it." —Mt 16:18

Praise: St. Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rose, both Catholic nuns of Jewish origin, were arrested by the Nazis, and put to death at Auschwitz for being Catholic and Jews.

Compline (Night Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 15 (16)
The Lord, my inheritance
My body will rest in calm and hope.
Preserve me, Lord, I put my hope in you. I have said to the Lord “You are my Lord, in you alone is all my good”. As for the holy and noble men of the land, in them is all my delight. But for those who run to alien gods, their sorrows are many. I will not share in their libations of blood. I will not speak their names. You, Lord, are my inheritance and my cup. You control my destiny, the lot marked out for me is of the best, my inheritance is all I could ask for. I will bless the Lord who gave me understanding; even in the night my heart will teach me wisdom. I will hold the Lord for ever in my sight: with him at my side I can never be shaken. Thus it is that my heart rejoices, heart and soul together; while my body rests in calm hope. You will not leave my soul in the underworld. You will not let your chosen one see decay. You will show me the paths of life, the fullness of joy before your face, and delights at your right hand until the end of time. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
My body will rest in calm and hope.

Reading	1 Thessalonians 5:23
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you in every way and preserve your life and your soul and your body without blemish, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Short Responsory	?
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Prayer
Let us pray. Lord our God, we are tired by the work of the day. Refresh us with peaceful sleep and, forever renewed by the help you give, let us always be dedicated to you in body and mind. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here.

From: Numbers 20:1-13

Moses Brings Water from the Rock

[1] And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness
of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died
there, and was buried there.

[2] Now there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled
themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. [3] And the people
contended with Moses, and said, “Would that we had died when our brethren
died before the LORD! [4] Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD
into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? [5] And
why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place?
It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is
no water to drink.” [6] Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the
assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces. And
the glory of the LORD appeared to them, [7] and the LORD said to Moses,
‘”Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother,
and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water; so you shall bring
water out of the rock for them; so you shall give drink to the congregation
and their cattle.” [9] And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he
commanded him.

[10] And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock,
and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you
out of this rock?” [11] And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with
his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank,
and their cattle. [12] And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because
you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the people of
Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I
have given them.” [13] These are the waters of Meribah,’ where the people of
Israel contended with the LORD, and he showed himself holy among them.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

20:1-19. When the spies sent to explore the land of Canaan returned to base,
people of Israel were in the desert of Paran, in Kadesh (13:26). The desert
of Zin, which is referred to here, and which is different from that of a
very similar name (Sin) mentioned in Exodus 16:1 and 17:1, was the
north-west part of the wilderness of Paran, to which the cloud had led the
Israelites from Sinai (cf. 10:12). Kadesh was not really a town but an area
containing leafy oases. It was a key point of reference for the people of
Israel’s route towards Canaan. From Kadesh they will leave for the plains of
Moab (cf. 22:1). Kadesh marks the end of the desert trek (cf. chaps. 33-38);
from now on the land is inhabited and the Israelites will have contact with
those who live there.

As they make their way, the people encounter both external and internal
difficulties, but that does not stop their advance to the promised Land,
because God is their guide and he is helping them. In this sense the people
of Israel prefigures the Church, for “as Israel according to the flesh which
wandered in the desert was already called the Church of God (cf. Num 20:4;
etc.), so too, the new Israel which advances in this present era in search
of a future and permanent city (cf. Heb 13:14), is called also the Church of
Christ (cf. Mt 16:18). It is Christ indeed who had purchased it with his own
blood (cf. Acts 20:28); he has filled it with his Spirit; he has provided
means adapted to its visible and social union” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”,
9).

20:2-13. Unlike Exodus 17:1-17, here it is Aaron who accompanies Moses,
so that both of them share in the sin of mistrusting God (cf. v. 12). The text
does not say what their sin was exactly: presumably it was because they
struck the rock twice due to lack of faith, instead of once (cf. vv. 11-12)
or in the fact that they struck the rock whereas God had told them to speak
to the rock (cf. v. 8)—although in Exodus 17:6 Moses was in fact told to
hit it. In v. 24 we are told it was a sin of rebellion, and in Psalm 106:32-33
it says that Moses “spoke words that were rash”. In Deuteronomy 1:37 and
elsewhere, the punishment inflicted on Moses is, however, attributed to the
people’s disobedience. At any event, the event is recounted here, just before
the narrating of the death of Aaron (as it will also be mentioned in Deuteronomy
32:51 before the account of Moses’ death). Here the episode is connected with
two place-names—Kadesh, which means in fact “holiness” and which would
remind people of the holiness of God (cf. v. 13), and Meribah, which means
“rebellion” and would evoke Moses’ sin. The two names appear linked
(Meri-bath-kadesh) in Deuteronomy 32:51 and Exodus 47:19.

This rock prefigured Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 10:4-5. The Fathers
gave an allegorical interpretation: the rock is Jesus, and the water the grace
which flows from the open side of our Lord; the double strike stands for the
two beams of the cross. Moses stands for the Jews, because just as Moses
doubted and struck the rock, the Jewish people crucified Christ, not believing
that he was the Son of God (cf. St Augustine, “Contra Faustum”, 16, 15;
“Questiones In Heptateuchurn”, 35).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 16:13-23:

Peter’s Profession of Faith and His Primacy

[13] Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He
asked His disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of Man is?” [14]
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others
Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” [15] He said to them, “But who do
you say that I am?” [16] Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God.” [17] And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you,
Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, by
My Father who is in Heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on
this rock, I will build My Church, and the powers of death shall not
prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.” [20] Then He
strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Passion and Resurrection

[21] From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go
to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests
and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. [22] And
Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid, Lord!
This shall never happen to You.” [23] But He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind Me, Satan! You are a hindrance to Me; for you are not on
the side of God, but of men.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

13-20. In this passage St. Peter is promised primacy over the whole
Church, a primacy which Jesus will confer on him after His
Resurrection, as we learn in the Gospel of St. John (cf. John
21:15-18). This supreme authority is given to Peter for the benefit of
the Church. Because the Church has to last until the end of time, this
authority will be passed on to Peter’s successors down through
history. The Bishop of Rome, the Pope, is the successor of Peter.

The solemn Magisterium of the Church, in the First Vatican Council,
defined the doctrine of the primacy of Peter and his successors in
these terms:

“We teach and declare, therefore, according to the testimony of the
Gospel that the primacy of jurisdiction over the whole Church was
immediately and directly promised to and conferred upon the blessed
Apostle Peter by Christ the Lord. For to Simon, Christ had said, `You
shall be called Cephas’ (John 1:42). Then, after Simon had
acknowledged Christ with the confession, `You are the Christ, the Son
of the living God’ (Matthew 16:16), it was to Simon alone that the
solemn words were spoken by the Lord: `Blessed are you, Simon
Bar-Jona. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My
Father who is in Heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this
rock I will build My Church, and the powers of Hell shall not prevail
against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and what you
loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven’ (Matthew 16:17-19). And
after His Resurrection, Jesus conferred upon Simon Peter alone the
jurisdiction of supreme shepherd and ruler over His whole fold with the
words, `Feed My lambs....Feed My sheep’ (John 21:15-17) [...].

“(Canon) Therefore, if anyone says that the blessed Apostle Peter was
not constituted by Christ the Lord as the Prince of all the Apostles
and the visible head of the whole Church militant, or that he received
immediately and directly from Jesus Christ our Lord only a primacy of
honor and not a true and proper primacy of jurisdiction: let him be
condemned.

“Now, what Christ the Lord, Supreme Shepherd and watchful guardian
of the flock, established in the person of the blessed Apostle Peter for
the perpetual safety and everlasting good of the Church must, by the
will of the same, endure without interruption in the Church which was
founded on the rock and which will remain firm until the end of the
world. Indeed, `no one doubts, in fact it is obvious to all ages, that
the holy and most blessed Peter, Prince and head of the Apostles, the
pillar of faith, and the foundation of the Catholic Church, received
the keys of the kingdom from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and the
Redeemer of the human race; and even to this time and forever he
lives,’ and governs, `and exercises judgment in his successors’ (cf.
Council of Ephesus), the bishops of the holy Roman See, which he
established and consecrated with his blood. Therefore, whoever
succeeds Peter in this Chair holds Peter’s primacy over the whole
Church according to the plan of Christ Himself [...]. For this reason,
`because of its greater sovereignty,’ it was always `necessary for
every church, that is, the faithful who are everywhere, to be in
agreement’ with the same Roman Church [...].

“(Canon) Therefore, if anyone says that it is not according to the
institution of Christ our Lord Himself, that is, by divine law, that
St. Peter has perpetual successors in the primacy over the whole
Church; or if anyone says that the Roman Pontiff is not the succes-
sor of St. Peter in the same primacy: let him be condemned [...].

“We think it extremely necessary to assert solemnly the prerogative
which the only-begotten Son of God deigned to join to the highest
pastoral office. And so, faithfully keeping to the tradition received
from the beginning of the Christian faith, for the glory of God our
Savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion, and for the salvation
of Christian peoples, We, with the approval of the sacred council,
teach and define that it is a divinely revealed dogma: that the Roman
Pontiff, when he speaks “ex cathedra”, that is, when, acting in the
office of shepherd and teacher of all Christians, he defines, by virtue
of his supreme apostolic authority, doctrine concerning faith or morals
to be held by the universal Church, possesses through the divine
assistance promised to him in the person of St. Peter, the infallibility
with which the divine Redeemer willed His Church to be endowed in
defining doctrine concerning faith or morals; and that such definitions
of the Roman Pontiff are therefore irreformable because of their
nature, but not because of the agreement of the Church.

“(Canon) But if anyone presume to contradict this our definition (God
forbid that he do so): let him be condemned” (Vatican I, “Pastor
Aeternus”, chaps. 1, 2 and 4).

23. Jesus rejects St. Peter’s well-intentioned protestations, giving us to
understand the capital importance of accepting the cross if we are to
attain salvation (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:23-25). Shortly before this (Matthew
16:17) Jesus had promised Peter: “Blessed are you, Simon”; now He
reproves him: “Get behind me, Satan.” In the former case Peter’s words
were inspired by the Holy Spirit, whereas what he says now comes from
his own spirit which he has not yet sloughed off.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

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