Scripture Readings
This chapter of Acts is the last about the Jerusalem church before Paul’s missionary journeys. We hear about Peter’s third arrest, this time by Herod who is the grandson of the Herod when Jesus was born. The story of Peter being freed from prison is so lovingly told that the parallels with Jesus’ arrest may be missed. Like Jesus, Peter was arrested during the Passover, and was also taken for a ghost, here by the maid, Rhoda, who shuts the door in his face. The angel who proclaimed Jesus to be risen, and who frees Peter, goes on to strike Herod dead.
A rather lonely Paul, abandoned in prison in Rome, writes these encouraging words to Timothy. Paul has solemnly commissioned Timothy to take over his ministry, and Paul urges him to keep on preaching the true Christian message in its entirety. But this will inevitably lead to similar suffering and Timothy will need always to rely on the Lord’s strength.
Today’s gospel is Matthew’s version of Jesus asking who people say he is. It is similar to Luke’s version. But Matthew inserts the well-known commissioning of Peter to be the rock of the Church, the only reference in all the gospels to the whole Church, and probably added later.
Psalm Response: From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
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