Today's Gospel in Art - You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church

Study for Velazquez Pope II, by Francis Bacon, 1961, © Vatican Museum

Gospel of 8th August 2019 - Matthew 16:13-23

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' 'But you,' he said 'who do you say I am?'
Then Simon Peter spoke up, 'You are the Christ,' he said, 'the Son of the living God.'

Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.' Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Reflection

In today's reading we see Jesus personally appointing Peter as leader of the Church. And as the Popes are the successors to St Peter, we come to this painting today by Francis Bacon. Irish born, he is know for his very distinctive, sometimes disturbing raw images, highly emotionally charged.... To read on see: www.christianart.today/daily-gospel-reading/136