New Christmas Hymns - Come Yeshua, Infant King
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Now 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 Bar-Jona! 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 gates of Hades 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.”
Matthew 16:13–19
The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus placed the care of his Church into the hands of his twelve Apostles, giving Peter the primacy as the “rock” upon which he built his Church. Jesus even changed his name from Simon to Peter (which means “rock”). Simon Peter was a strong man of faith, whose proclamation that Jesus was the Christ was breathed into him by God. Jesus, in turn, blessed Peter with the wonderful promise that he would receive the authority to lead the Church after Jesus ascended to heaven. Peter, all the Apostles, and their successors from then until now have been called to assume the role of shepherding the Church.
Jesus chose to place the task of leading the Church on earth into the hands of Peter and all who would follow in the shoes of this humble fisherman. Through the Holy Spirit, the leaders of the Church have been gifted to guide the Church into all truth. As Catholics, we can be assured that the Church will never falter in her call to leave a lasting legacy for the People of God. We can confidently follow the leadership of the Church, knowing that, despite the frailties of human beings and the evils in the world, the People of God will grow to maturity as we prepare for the Second Coming of Christ.
What can Catholic men learn from the example of Peter and all who have had to fill his shoes? How can we join in the legacy of the Church throughout history by following the guidance of her leaders and helping to shape the thing that has so wonderfully shaped us? This week, we will reflect on five key concepts:
1. The Church speaks the truth about Christ.
The Catholic Church has consistently proclaimed important truths about Jesus from the very beginning. The Catholic Church alone has maintained her legacy of truth without compromise. Catholic men can follow and move within the Church to contribute to her future as well.
2. Through the Holy Spirit, the leaders of the Church continue in truth.
Though the Church has always suffered from the sins of her frail human members, including those in positions of leadership within the Church, the Holy Spirit always keeps her alive and brings her through her trials. We can trust that he will always care for the Church and protect her, no matter what evils assail her, until the end of time.
3. The Church today carries on the legacy of the Apostles.
The pope and bishops today carry on the leadership of Christ’s Church in a direct line of succession from the Apostles. Christ built his Church firmly on Peter, the Rock, and promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We journey forward in hope, trusting that God himself has established this system of leadership.
4. Hell will not prove stronger than the Church.
As she journeys to the end of time and Christ’s Second Coming, the Church prevails against the gates of hell, which hold men’s souls in prison. The humble, spiritual leadership of the Catholic Church rescues the lost from sin. In the end, she will win the battle for the kingdom of God.
5. The Church has the keys to the kingdom.
The leadership of the Church has been given the authority to bind and loose, to proclaim truth and refute error, to care for the poor, and to challenge all nations to come to Christ. Because Catholic men share a place in the Body of Christ, they have the responsibility to build a legacy that follows the teachings of the Church while reflecting the individual gifting each one of us has in contributing to the Church’s future.
A Call to Action
The same Holy Spirit that moves in the Pope, and in every bishop and priest within the Church, moves also in the heart of every Catholic man. This week, consider two important things we learn from Peter’s proclamation of faith:
1) We can trust the Holy Spirit, through her leaders, to guide the Church into all truth.
2) All men are called to live out our lives in humble service to the Church and the world, knowing we share in this awesome responsibility.
As we submit to the authority of the Church we give witness to the power and authority behind all that we do as servants of the Gospel. Consider specific ways you can serve the Church and her leaders as you honor the Pope, bishops, and priests, who follow in the footsteps of the Apostles, who followed the Master from the very start.
Recall also that we are called to help shape the very Church that has shaped us. This week, reflect on how you can work for the kingdom by using the gifts you have been given by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the Body of Christ. Remember that the legacy you leave must be grounded in the doctrines and authority of the Church.
You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
