The Feast of the Chair of St Peter

1 Pet. 5:1-4, Mt. 16:13-19. On November 9th, we had the Feast of St John Lateran, which was a feast that focused on a building. The Feast of the Chair of St Peter, is not merely about a piece of furniture, it is the celebration of our unity with the Vicar of Christ. The chair of the bishops of the Church symbolises their authority to teach the Gospels and truth of God to the people, as well as their administrative and spiritual authority over the flock entrusted to them, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The tasks Jesus entrusted to the Apostles were not easy ones, as challenges and difficulties were abound. They had to face persecutions and oppressions from various sources.

The disciples had to endure torture, arrests, sufferings and rejections from time to time. In today's Gospel, Jesus lays the foundation of His Church on the rock (Cephas). He gives to Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, establishing the “infallibility" of the Vicar of Christ, that is, the authority to teach the truth in the areas of faith and morals. Peter may not have understood what this exactly meant at the time, but he would have been changed as he was entrusted with such authority. Today, we are challenged to reflect on our faith in this regard and if it is lacking in any way, let us renew it in honour of this great Feast of the Chair of St Peter.

May the Lord be with us all, bless the Church He has built, so that we may always stay together and remain strong in our faith and dedication to serve the Lord! Amen!! Good morning and have a pleasant day!!!