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10

THE CHURCH:

REFLECTING THE

LIGHT OF CHRIST

IMAGES AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH

—CCC, NOS. 748-810

PETER IS A ROCK AND A LOVING PASTOR

The account in Chapter 16 of Matthew begins with Jesus and the

Apostles’ arrival at Caesarea Philippi, a city that was twenty-five miles

north of the Sea of Galilee. In this setting, Jesus asks the Apostles who

people thought he was. They replied that some thought Jesus was John

the Baptist, others that he was Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

They wondered if Jesus was one of the great prophets come back from

the dead.

Jesus asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter alone

replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Jesus

praised Peter’s reply, noting that he had not arrived at such an insight

through his own human abilities. Peter had received a revelation from

God and had spoken from his faith. “Blessed are you, Simon son of

Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly

Father” (v. 17).

Jesus then proceeded to make Peter the

rock

on which he would

build the Church. Beneath the backdrop of a temple built on a rock and

devoted to the idolatrous worship of an emperor, Peter, whose name

means “rock,” is chosen to lead God’s Church. “You are Peter, and upon

this rock I will build my Church” (v. 18). Jesus went further and promised to

give Peter the “keys to the Kingdom of Heaven,” that is, authority to shep-

herd the Church. Jesus also promised that the gates of hell will not prevail

against the Church. These words are a reminder that, while disorder and