R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and
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 Christ, 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 Christ.

The Word of God we hear today is all about power.  It is about the highest power of all – spiritual power.

Our Lord, in today’s Gospel, gives to Saint Peter spiritual power, making him the head of the Twelve Apostles and, also, the head of His Catholic and Apostolic Church on Earth.  Saint Peter is made able to forgive sins – even to retain them – by the power given to him by our Lord. That same spiritual power resides today in Pope Francis who, like Saint Peter, is Bishop of Rome and head shepherd of the Church. He shares this spiritual power with all the bishops of the Church throughout the World as successors to the Apostles.

This spiritual power, given by our Lord to Saint Peter, is unique to the Catholic Church, as it is grounded with the words of the Gospel that you hear today.

The spiritual power that I describe to you, however, can be misused. In Church history, we have had some corrupt popes and times when this power was not used for spiritual gain but rather, for corrupt, worldly gain. We learn from Church history that we must be always on our toes and alert that corruption does not set in.

This spiritual power, given to our Pope, and to our bishops until the end of Time, means that the Pope and bishops are entrusted to preserve the teachings and the truth of the Gospel of our Lord, as well as the sacred Tradition of our Church throughout the ages, so that the world may be converted to Christ for the salvation of the immortal soul. First and foremost, I must say, we need to pray each day for our Pope Francis, for the College of Bishops, throughout the world, and for our own Bishop David, that they may faithfully wear the robe, the sash, and hold the keys of spiritual power as Pope and successors of the Apostles.

We as faithful are not separate from them – you the laity, and with the deacons and with the priests, are not separate from but rather in communion with them. Like our bishops, we too need to accept Jesus as Son of God and our personal savior. We should accept Jesus as our own Good Shepherd, as our own Divine Savior, and as our Redeemer.

In response, God will protect us and provide for us on our life’s journey – forgiving us, loving us, helping us, transforming us as His dear children. All of us are to listen to Jesus through daily prayer, talking to Him and now about to offer our lives with Jesus upon the altar, receiving Him in Holy Communion, that our lives may cooperate with God’s grace.

Our personal experience of the spiritual power of Jesus Christ leads to praise and thanksgiving, realizing how important, how vital, this spiritual power is that now belongs to us as members of His Church. In this way, it will remain an awesome power in your life, without the stain of corruption.

Monsignor Michael J. Cariglio, Jr., Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace:
“I will thrust you from your office
and pull you down from your station.
On that day I will summon my servant
Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;
I will clothe him with your robe,
and gird him with your sash,
and give over to him your authority.
He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and to the house of Judah.
I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder;
when he opens, no one shall shut,
when he shuts, no one shall open.
I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot,
to be a place of honor for his family.”

R. (8bc) Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
I will give thanks to your name,
because of your kindness and your truth:
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees,
and the proud he knows from afar.
Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord
or who has been his counselor?
Or who has given the Lord anything
that he may be repaid?
For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.