Today our Synod celebrates the Confession of St. Peter. You can read the account in Matthew 16:13-20. It is a great day to remember these words from the Tractatus:"As for the declaration 'on this rock I will build My church' (Matthew 16:18), certainly the Church has not been built upon the authority of a man. Rather, it has been built upon the ministry of the confession Peter made, in which he proclaims Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 16:16). Therefore, Christ addresses Peter as a minister: 'On this rock,' that is, this ministry." (Par. 25)
Today we sing:
Praise for Your great apostle,
So eager and so bold,
Thrice falling, yet repentant,
Thrice charged to feed Your fold.
Lord, make Your pastors faithful
To guard Your flock from harm,
And hold them when they waver
With Your almighty arm. (LSB 517:10)
In the collect for this day we especially ask: "strengthen us by the proclamation of this truth that we too may joyfully confess that there is salvation in no one else." "This truth" being that our Lord is indeed the Christ, the promised Messiah.
3 comments:
Pastor Weedon,
Do you have any information on the change in the Gospel reading appointed for this feast day: from the Matthew reading (LW) to the Mark reading (LSB)?
Sam,
I'm really not sure at all what prompted the move. Perhaps Pr. Vieker will remember?
It is interesting to note that at the time of the Reformation, Jan. 18 would have been St. Prisca's Day. The Chair of St. Peter was celebrated solely on Feb. 22 in those days (at least in the north). I admit, however, that it is hard to resist having the Conversion of St. Paul being the Octave of the Confession of St. Peter.
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