Daily Gospel Reflection for February 22, 2022: Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Melanie Rigney

Today's Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

How many names can you come up with for Jesus? Christ. The Lord. Savior. Son of God. The Word. We, like the disciples, can rattle off a number of ways people refer to Him.

But when Jesus asked who they said He was, only Peter answered. The humble, sometimes bumbling, flawed fisherman summoned up the courage to say what he knew in his innermost soul:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Peter didn’t hem or haw, add in a “maybe” or a “perhaps.” He told it like it was, using bold, audacious, brave words.

Many in the world say Jesus was an idea, or maybe a great teacher of His time, or maybe a magician who went down a wrong path. When we encounter non-believers, it’s tempting to avoid confrontation with them: we believe what we believe, they believe what they believe, and it’s all good, right?

Except that it’s not. Jesus said He came to set the world on fire for God. Nodding and moving on to a safer topic like the weather are signs of a lukewarm, even fearful faith, not the witnessing and evangelization that wins new souls. May we be as quick as Peter was to name Jesus as Who He is to us.

Ponder:

Who do I say Jesus is in the way I conduct myself in the world?

Pray:

Brother Jesus, I seek the courage to show and proclaim to the world Who You are. Help me to be rock-solid in my belief.

Click to tweet:
May we be as quick as Peter was to name Jesus as Who He is to us. #dailygospel

Copyright 2022 Melanie Rigney

Melanie Rigney (www.rejoicebeglad.com) is the author of several books about saints as well as a menopause journal for Catholic women. She lives in Arlington, VA.