First Reading

First reading

Reading from the book of Isaiah

Isaiah 22, 19-23

Thus says the Lord to Shebna, master of the palace:
«I will thrust you from your office
and pull you down from your station.
On that day I will summon my servant
Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;
I will clothe him with your robe,
and gird him with your sash,
and give over to him your authority.

He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and to the house of Judah.
I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder;
when he opens, no one shall shut,
when he shuts, no one shall open.
I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot,
to be a place of honor for his family».

Second reading

Reading from the letter of the apostle Saint Paul to the Romans

Romans 11, 33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! «Who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?» For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 16, 13-20

At that time, when Jesus arrived in the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, «Who do people say that the Son of Man is?» They replied, «Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets».

Then he said to them, «But who do you say that I am?» Simon Peter said in reply, «You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God».

Jesus said to him in reply, «Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven».

Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.