Saint Gregory was born at Rome around the year 540. He rose through various public offices to the prefecture, which he renounced. He entered the monastic life and, once ordained deacon, he discharged the duties of legate at Constantinople.

On September 3, 590, he was elevated to the Chair of Saint Peter and he proved to be a true shepherd by carrying out his office, helping the poor, spreading and strengthening the faith. He wrote extensively on moral and theological subjects.

The prayer from today’s Morning Prayer:

Father, you guide your people with kindness and govern us with love. By the prayers of Saint Gregory give the spirit of wisdom to those you have called to lead your Church. May the growth of you people in holiness be the eternal joy of our shepherds.

Gregory died on March 12, 604.

From a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable:

There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: I am the truth? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.

Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.”

From Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers, and Proclaimers of the Word.

Last Sunday the Gospel was Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ. In it, Peter appears as the disciple with the utmost faith. In today’s Gospel, Jesus refers to Peter as an obstacle to him because of his refusal to accept that Jesus the Christ will suffer and be killed.

This first prediction of the Passion (the other two are found in Matthew 17:22-23 and 20:17-19), link Jesus’ impending suffering with that of his disciples. Those who follow Jesus must accept that he will suffer and die. To think this way, a disciple must try to think as God does and must not allow worldly attachments and fears to infiltrate their thoughts so that they become a stumbling block to Jesus.

After responding to Peter’s rebuke of him, Jesus presents five sayings that focus on the life of discipleship. The essence of these sayings is that disciples must not make themselves the center of their lives. A disciple’s life extends outward. Based on their faith in Jesus, they will be ready to give up their life as they know it in exchange for life in him. The final saying of Jesus in today’s Gospel, then, reveals the judgment that will come at the end of time; the Son of Man will repay disciples according to their decision to take up the cross and follow him.

Saint Monica was born of a Christian family at Tagaste in Africa in 331. While still a young maiden she was married to Patricius. They had children, among whom was Augustine. She poured forth many tears and prayers to God for his conversion. A model of the virtuous mother, she nourished the faith by her prayers and witnessed to it by her deeds.

From the Confessions of St. Augustus:

My mother said: “Son, as far as I am concerned, nothing in this life now gives me any pleasure. I do not know why I am still here, since I have no further hopes in this world. I did have one reason for wanting to live a little longer: to see you become a Catholic Christian before I died. God has lavished his gifts on me in that respect, for I know that you have even renounced earthly happiness to be his servant. So what am I doing here?”

I do not really remember how I answered her.

Monica died at Ostia in 387.

Saint Louis was born in 1214 and became king of France when he was only twenty-two years old. He married and became the father of eleven children who received from him careful instruction for a Christian life. He excelled in penance and prayer and in his love for the poor. While ruling the kingdom he had regard not only for peace among peoples and for the temporal good of his subjects, but also for their spiritual welfare. He undertook the Crusades to recover the tomb of Christ.

From a spiritual testament to his son by Saint Louis:

If the Lord has permitted you to have some trial, bear it willingly and with gratitude, considering that it has happened for your good and that perhaps you will deserve it. If the Lord bestows upon you any kind of prosperity, thank him humbly and see that you become no worse for it, either through vain pride or anything else, because you ought not to oppose God or offend him in the matter of his gifts.

Louis died near Carthage in 1270.

Saint Bartholomew was born at Cana. He was brought to Jesus by the apostle Philip. After the ascension of the Lord, he is said to have preached the Gospel in India where he was rewarded with the crown of martyrdom.

The prayer from today’s Office of Readings:

Lord, sustain within us the faith that made Saint Bartholomew ever loyal to Christ. Let your Church be the sign of salvation for all the nations of the world.

Saint Rose was born in Lima, Peru in 1586. She led a virtuous life at home and, after receiving the habit of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, she made great progress in a life of penance and contemplation.

The prayer from today’s Office of Readings:

God our Father, for love of you Saint Rose gave up everything to devote herself to a life of penance. By the help of her prayers, may we imitate her selfless way of life on earth and enjoy the fullness of your blessings in heaven.

Rosa died August 24, 1617.

From a homily by Saint Amadeus of Lausanne:

In her abundant goodness she has channeled the spring of reason’s garden, the well of living and life-giving waters that pour down in a rushing stream from divine Lebanon and flow down from Mount Zion until they surround the shores of every far-flung nation. With divine assistance she has redirected these waters and made them into streams of peace and pools of grace.

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

From Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers, and Proclaimers of the Word.

The focus of today’s Gospel is Peter’s confession of Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Mark and Luke have parallels to Matthew’s account, but Matthew adds Jesus’ words in verses 16b-19 in order to show how Peter’s confession relates to the nature, growth, and structure of the Church.

This ecclesiological section focuses on Peter as the rock of the Church, rock being a word that plays on Peter’s name. In Greek, Peter is Petros and rock is petra. Both words are kepha in Aramaic. In all four accounts of the Gospel, the term ekklesia occurs only here and twice in Matthew 18:17. It is used by Matthew to show the relationship between the Church and the kingdom of heaven. Through the authority given to Peter, represented by the keys, and through his responsibility to bind and loose, the Church will proclaim salvation, grow, and be structured during this interim period before the fullness of the kingdom comes.

Later in Matthew, Jesus gives the authority to bind and loose to all the disciples (18:18). Yet Peter alone retains the unique role of being the Church’s rock; only he has the keys. Binding and loosing are rooted in the rabbinical tradition of containing the devil during exorcism, making administrative decisions, and legally deciding who belongs to the community. The symbol of the keys is the clear link to today’s First Reading (Romans 11:33-36). A second, more subtle connection is Peter’s confession. By it, Peter, like Eliakim, shows he is faithful to God and is God’s servant.

Saint Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon in France. After a religious upbringing, he joined the Cistercians in 1111 and later was chosen abbot of the monastery of Clairvaux. There he directed his companions in the practice of virtue by his own good example. Because of schisms, which had arisen in the Church, he traveled all about Europe restoring peace and unity. He wrote many theological and spiritual works.

Bernard died in 1153.

The prayer from today’s Office of Readings:

Heavenly Father, Saint Bernard was filled with zeal for your house and was a radiant light in your Church. By his prayers may we be filled with the spirit of zeal and walk always as children of light.