February 22, 2021

Reading

The First Letter of Peter    5: 1-4

5:1Therefore, I beg the elders who are among you, as one who is also an elder and a witness of the Passion of Christ, who also shares in that glory which is to be revealed in the future:
5:2pasture the flock of God that is among you, providing for it, not as a requirement, but willingly, in accord with God, and not for the sake of tainted profit, but freely,
5:3not so as to dominate by means of the clerical state, but so as to be formed into a flock from the heart.
5:4And when the Leader of pastors will have appeared, you shall secure an unfading crown of glory.

Gospel

The Holy Gospel According to Matthew   16: 13-19

16:13Then Jesus went into parts of Caesarea Philippi. And he questioned his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?”
16:14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, still others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
16:15Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16:16Simon Peter responded by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
16:17And in response, Jesus said to him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven.
16:18And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.
16:19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound, even in heaven. And whatever you shall release on earth shall be released, even in heaven.”