Edith Stein (1891-1942) was born in Breslau into an observant Jewish family. She is also known as Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She is a German Jewish convert in the course of her work as a philosopher, and later she entered the Carmelite Order. She died in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz in 1942.

 

First Reading: (Jer 31:31-34)

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

 

Ps 50:12-15, 18-19

R./ A pure heart create for me, O God.

 

Gospel: (Mt 16:13-23) When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.”

 

Reflection:

“Who do you say that I am?” It is not enough that Jesus being the Son of God; it is equally important that he is recognized as such. Therefore, the apostles’ understanding of Jesus is to be well founded and correctly formed. Here, Peter’s understanding of Jesus revealed in his declaration is well founded, but still has to be correctly formed; so, Jesus is rebuking him and teaching. Jesus says, “He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” (Mt 10:41). When his own country people recognized Jesus as a carpenter’s son (Mt 13:53ff), they were not able to receive the reward of the Son of God offered to them in the person of Jesus. Today, for example, how do we recognize Jesus in the Holy Eucharist? It is not enough that Jesus being present in the Holy Eucharist; it is equally important that he is recognized as such.