You Are the Christ, The Son of God Live 4

                                                               

Antoni BigCuore *
Date: Amendment 22.02.2019, Friday, 09:50 a.m.
Location: São Paulo, SP., Brazil.

                                           (Mt 16: 13-20) (Mark 8: 27-35)

The Gospel today, 22.02.2019, is foreseen in Matthew 16, 13 to 20. Today, by the Catholic Christian liturgy, the Chair of Peter is celebrated. Chair means chair. The symbol of the command of the Catholic Church, exercised by the Pope today by Pope Francis.
Let's go to today's text.

"When Jesus arrived in the territory of Caesarea Philippi, he asked the disciples," Who do men say that the Son of Man is? " They said, "Some say it's Joao Batista, some Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Then he asked them, "And you, who do you say that I am?" Simao Peter, answering, said: "YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD LIVING" (my emphasis).

Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell will never prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "(1)

TESTIMONY OF THE WORD: "Peter's preaching begins when he says," Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God. " This profession of faith was revealed to him by the Father (Mt.16,17). Paul insists, "I have fought the good fight, I have completed my course, and I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 4: 7). This faith sustained the preaching. The strength of his proclamation of faith in Jesus was sufficient to lead to conversion. Faced with the difficult conjunction between Christians from paganism and Christians from Judaism, they knew how to take on differences and lead the church in the unity of faith. Paul fought hard to defend the rights of the faith of the Gentiles, for it was a mandate of Christ. " (see God With Us, Shrine publisher, July / 18, p.37, by Pe.Luiz Carlos de Oliveira, C.Ss.R.)

A.BIGCUORE´S REFLECTION: From the text of the evangelist, it is very clear which church is founded by Jesus Christ: the one whose head began with Peter !!!
On this rock (from the Greek PETROS and Aramaic Kepha) I will build MY CHURCH, says the Master Jesus, that is, the ONLY church. The definite article "A" makes that clear !.
We are not here interested in creating controversy or discussing religion, only to clarify that the ONLY biblically-continuing church of the apostles is CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC. This, however, does not invalidate the other Christian denominations. Most important of all, it is to be DISCIPLES OF JESUS!

That is, PRACTICE all that He taught through His words expounded in the holy Gospels.
Our CAPACITY TO LOVE is what will save us! That is nothing more than being baptized and having faith in Jesus and, of course, day by day, having attitudes, concrete gestures of love to the neighbor. (eg a friendly word spoken at the right time, a hug, a kiss, a demonstration of solidarity, above all in the hour of pain, charity, etc.)

Through the text, it is clear that as Jesus was passing a Procuratorate to Peter to care for his flock, when He ascended to heaven, with the later coming of the Divine Holy Spirit, who guides the church to this day.

The Catholic Church, as the mystical body of Christ, is perfect, holy and impeccable! The hierarchical church is composed of men; and men are flawed. Look at what happened to Pope Benedict XVI, resigned because he felt that some groups of cardinals were creating great "resistance" to his pastoral and temporal administration as well. And in view of his advanced age, he chose courageously and humbly for his resignation, as foreseen in Article 332, paragraph 2, of the Code of Canon Law, written by himself then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in the time of Pope John Paul II.

                     EVERYTHING PASSES. ONLY GOD REMAINS !.

The catholic church, throughout the history has undergone several crises, already had until three Popes, one in Rome, another in France, and another one in Pisa, Italy, between 1.309 and 1.377. The Papacy's residence moved from Rome to Avignon in France, as Pope Clement V was taken by the French king to reside in Avignon. In 1378 Pope Gregory XI would return to Rome where he would die. And he also had an anti-pope in Pisa, Italy.
The Schism ended with the CONCILIATION OF CONSTANCE, in 1417, when the papacy was reestablished in Rome. (2)

Do you want a bigger crisis than that? And the Catholic Church has never been and will never be destroyed, for it is guided by the Holy Spirit itself; it is He who proceeds from Heavenly Father and the Son Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word. It was endorsed by Jesus himself when, in the above text, he says that "the gates of hell shall never prevail over it."
God bless all of us Christians and non-Christians for the best to happen in this world so troubled and full of violence! Peace begins in the human heart, let us not forget that!
GOD BE ETERNALLY BLESSED.