THE CHAIR OF SAINT PETER THE APOSTLE (FEAST)

Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 

Did you know that there is a physical chair of St. Peter located in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican? Tradition holds that it is the original wooden seat used by St. Peter whenever he preached or taught the Christians in Rome. The chair was later encased in bronze, and is an impressive work of art.

But today’s feast is not about a piece of furniture. It’s about what it signifies. The Chair of St. Peter stands as “a symbol of the special mission of Peter and his successors to tend Christ’s flock, keeping it united in faith and in charity” (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, February 19, 2012). It’s a sign that Jesus has kept the promise he made to St. Peter, which we read in today’s Gospel: “The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against [the Church]” (Matthew 16:18).

It’s no secret that, over the centuries, some of Peter’s successors have been less than exemplary in their faithfulness to God. Yet God has always been faithful to his promise! He has continued the unceasing flow of graces to the world through the Church. In fact, in spite of many forces of darkness coming against it from within and from outside, the Church remains “united in faith and in charity.”

We can recount the ways in which the graces and blessings of the Church have touched our own lives: the youth group that led us to experience the joy of Christ, the Catholic school teacher who taught us the truths of the faith, or the chapel that became our place of encounter with the Lord. In these ways, and so many more, the Church has helped heaven come to earth in our lives!

So trust that God is faithful to his promises! He will continue to keep the Church united, even as he deepens our communion. In the end, Jesus will be victorious over all the forces of darkness in this world—and in our hearts.

“Lord, build your Church up in unity and charity so that it may continue to be a stream of life and grace to the world.”

1 Peter 5:1-4
Psalm 23:1-6
Matthew 16:13-19