MT 16:13-19
The reading is telling us that we should follow God with excitement, not with apathy. We should strive to be examples of faith to others, like Jesus is. If we are able to do so, we will be rewarded in heaven. In the Gospel, Peter is a great disciple of Jesus. When Jesus asks “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?,” Peter was the only one to respond that Jesus is the Son of Man. Because of Peter’s great faith, he is made the first Pope of the Church, and is considered the rock of the Church. We should all strive to be like Peter, to stand firm in our faith and spread the word of God.