The Chair of St Peter

Today is Monday the 22 February, the feast of the Chair of St Peter.

The Choir ofWestminster Cathedral sing, Tu Es Petrus by Palestrina:‘You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’

Today’s reading is from the First Letter of St Peter.

1 Peter 5:1-4

Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it—not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.

Peter speaks here as an “elder”, one with long-term lived experience of being a disciple of Christ.Are you perhaps able to think of yourself in this way? Or who are the “elders” you look to, to offer examples of good Christian living?

One of Peter’s qualifications is that he has been “a witness of the sufferings of Christ”. How might the sufferings you yourself have witnessed helped to shape your own discipleship?

Peter wants those he writes to to be “examples to the flock”. As you listen to the passage again, notice the kind of example that he hopes to encourage.

As this prayer draws to a close, ask God for whatever gifts you need to be able to offer others a good example of Christian living in the next few days.