As on every Thursday morning, today, 7 August, a Holy Mass in the Polish language was celebrated at the tomb of St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, bringing together numerous pilgrims present in Rome and members of the Polish community.
Today’s Eucharist was concelebrated by approximately 50 priests, including Cardinal Konrad Krajewski. The liturgy was accompanied in song by the Regional Folk Group “Jakubkowianie” from Łososina Dolna, in the Diocese of Tarnów. The homily was delivered by the Administrator of our Foundation, Monsignor Dr. Dariusz Giers. The full text of today’s sermon is provided below.
Dear brothers and sisters, gathered here in the Vatican Basilica and listening to us through radio broadcasts,In today’s Gospel, Jesus poses a fundamental question to His disciples: “But who do you say that I am?” Speaking for them all, Simon Peter replies: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus approves of Peter’s confession, emphasizing that it springs from divine inspiration rather than the apostle’s intellectual capacity. This is of great importance for us as well, as it illustrates our human limitations in comprehending the things of God and makes clear that only when enlightened by power from on high can we proclaim, “Jesus is Lord”; only when filled with the Holy Spirit can we announce the mighty works of God.
I wish to point out that the confession of St. Peter, upon which Jesus builds His Church, resounds in a particular way here, in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the Apostle’s tomb lies. This is the very heart of the temple, though not all visitors realize it. Few are aware that inscribed in a mosaic on the drum of the Basilica’s dome are the very words from today’s Gospel (cf. Mt 16:18-19): “Tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum” (You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven). These words recall the fisherman of Bethsaida, chosen by Jesus to be the rock of the Church, and they are remembered by the Popes, successors of St. Peter, each time they celebrate Holy Mass at the Altar of the Confession.
Pope Francis interprets them as follows: “On the lips of Simon Peter appear words that surpass him, words not arising from his natural abilities. Perhaps he never finished elementary school, yet he can utter words greater than himself! They are words inspired by the heavenly Father, who reveals to the first of the Twelve the true identity of Jesus: He is the Messiah, the Son sent by God to save humanity. And on the basis of this answer, Jesus understands that, thanks to the faith given by the Father, there is a solid foundation on which He can build His community, His Church.”
Our beloved Holy Father St. John Paul II, before whose tomb we now stand, made the words of the fisherman of Galilee his essential...
