KEYWORDS: catholic; lent; mt16; prayer; saints;
From: 1 Peter 5:1-4
To Priests
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Commentary:
1-4. In many New Testament text, the Greek terms “presbyteros” and “episco-
pos” mean the same, being used indiscriminately to designate pastors of local
communities (cf., e.g., Acts 11:30; 20:28; and notes on same). From the se-
cond century on, the terminology became fixed: “episcopoi” (bishops) have the
fullness of the sacrament of Order and are responsible for local churches; “pres-
byteroi” (elders, later designated as priests) carry out the priestly ministry as co-
workers of the bishops. The Acts of the Apostles tell us that Paul and Barnabas
ordained priests in the various churches of Asia Minor (cf. Acts 14:23), to which
St Peter is now writing (1 Pet 1:1).
The Prince of the Apostles here addresses them formally. Although he refers to
himself as one of them—a “fellow elder [priest]”—he is distinguishing himself as
a witness of the sufferings of Christ and “a partaker in the glory that is to be re-
vealed” (this is possibly an allusion to the Transfiguration, at which he was given
a foretaste of that glory: cf. Mt 17:1ff; 2 Pet 1:16-18).
St Peter’s exhortation (vv. 2-3) recall those of our Lord when he spoke about the
Good Shepherd (Jn 10:1ff) and when he told Peter after the Resurrection, “Feed
my lambs....Feed my sheep” (Jn 21:15-17). The Magisterium of the Church has
often drawn inspiration from these words when reminding pastors of their duties:
“As to the faithful, they (the priests) should bestow their paternal attention and
solicitude on them, whom they have begotten spiritually through baptism and in-
struction (cf. 1 Cor 4:15; 1 Pet 1:23). Gladly constituting themselves models of
the flock (cf. 1 Pet 5:3), they should preside over and serve their local communi-
ty in such a way that it may deserve to be called by the name which is given to
the unique People of God in its entirety, that is to say, the Church of God (cf.
Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:21; and passim). They should be mindful that by their daily con-
duct and solicitude they display the reality of a truly priestly and pastoral minis-
try both to believers and unbelievers alike, to Catholics and non-Catholics; that
they are bound to bear witness before all men of the truth and of the life, and as
good shepherds seek after those too (cf. Lk 15:4-7) who, whilst having been bap-
tized in the Catholic Church, have given up the practice of the sacraments, or
even fallen away from the faith” (”Lumen Gentium”, 28; cf. No. 41).
If they approach their responsibilities in this way, they will have no reason to
fear the Judgment (v. 4); the Lord will make himself present to them as “the chief
Shepherd”, whom they have tried to imitate in their care of the flock, and they will
receive “the unfading crown of glory” (cf. note on Jas 1:12). “When the moment
comes for them to enter God’s presence, Jesus will go out to meet them. He will
glorify forever those who have acted on earth in his Person and in his name. He
will shower them with that grace of which they have been ministers” (St. J. Escri-
va, “In Love with the Church”, 50).
3. St Gregory the Great teaches that the pastor of souls “should always give the
lead, to show by his example the way to life, so that his flock (who follow the
voice and the actions of the pastor) are guided more by example than by words;
his position obliges him to speak of elevated things, and also to manifest them
personally; the word more easily gains access to the hearts of hearers when it
carries with it the endorsement of the life of him who when giving instructions as-
sists in their fulfillment by his own example” (”Regulae Pastoralis Liber”, 2, 3).
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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.
| Matthew | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Matthew 16 |
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| 13. | And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? | Venit autem Jesus in partes Cæsareæ Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis ? | ελθων δε ο ιησους εις τα μερη καισαρειας της φιλιππου ηρωτα τους μαθητας αυτου λεγων τινα με λεγουσιν οι ανθρωποι ειναι τον υιον του ανθρωπου |
| 14. | But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. | At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. | οι δε ειπον οι μεν ιωαννην τον βαπτιστην αλλοι δε ηλιαν ετεροι δε ιερεμιαν η ενα των προφητων |
| 15. | Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? | Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis ? | λεγει αυτοις υμεις δε τινα με λεγετε ειναι |
| 16. | Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. | Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. | αποκριθεις δε σιμων πετρος ειπεν συ ει ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου του ζωντος |
| 17. | And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. | Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in cælis est. | και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτω μακαριος ει σιμων βαρ ιωνα οτι σαρξ και αιμα ουκ απεκαλυψεν σοι αλλ ο πατηρ μου ο εν τοις ουρανοις |
| 18. | And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. | Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram ædificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portæ inferi non prævalebunt adversus eam. | καγω δε σοι λεγω οτι συ ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν και πυλαι αδου ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης |
| 19. | And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. | Et tibi dabo claves regni cælorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in cælis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in cælis. | και δωσω σοι τας κλεις της βασιλειας των ουρανων και ο εαν δησης επι της γης εσται δεδεμενον εν τοις ουρανοις και ο εαν λυσης επι της γης εσται λελυμενον εν τοις ουρανοις |