February 22, 2024 Reflection – Meditate the mysteries of the Rosary
Meditate the mysteries of the Rosary February 22, 2024 Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle Dear Family of Mary! Today’s Gospel Reading: 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 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.” (Mt 16:13-19) On this Feast Day of the Chair of Peter the Apostle, we ponder God’s choice of Peter as the the head of the Church. This was God the Father’s choice! He revealed it to Jesus through the answer Peter gave to His question, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered plainly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And from then on Peter carried that very heavy burden, the call to carry the Keys of the Kingdom!! All of this was a mystery to Peter at the time! We can only imagine how baffled Peter was. What was Jesus talking about? But as Peter followed Jesus through the Passion, Death, Resurrection and the Ascension, the mystery began to make sense. Peter learned how to follow Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit. His life became more and more an expression of the love for Jesus, and he was able to lead his brethren into a world desperate for that love. Our Lady wants us to follow Peter down that same path, by living the mysteries! But it is easier for us, because we have the mysteries in the Holy Rosary to guide us. Those mysteries speak to our own particular mysteries and help us to trust and follow the Holy Spirit just as Peter did. Listen to Our Lady’s explanation: September 25, 2019 “Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray for my intentions so that I may help you. Little children, pray the Rosary and meditate the mysteries of the Rosary because, in your life, you are also passing through joys and sorrows. In this way, you are transforming the mysteries into your life, because life is a mystery until you place it into God’s hands. In this way, you will have the experience of faith like Peter who met Jesus and the Holy Spirit filled his heart. Little children, you are also called to witness by living the love with which, day by day, God wraps you with my presence. Therefore, little children, be open and pray with the heart in faith. Thank you for having responded to my call.” We are called to witness like Peter. And we have Our Lady with us to help us, just as St. Peter had her with him throughout the public ministry of Jesus and in in the Upper Room as well! Our Lady can help us to understand our personal mysteries, through the prayer of the Rosary. She knows just what we are going through. May we ponder the mysteries of our own lives, in the light of the mysteries of the Rosary! Let us be open and pray with the heart in faith! In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan (c) Mary TV 2024