NOTE: Christ in Our Neighborhood is a parish-based program consisting of small Christian communities that gather in the home weekly to prayerfully discuss the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. It’s easy to form a community and you can find out more at Christ in Our Neighborhood – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (dphx.org)
This coming Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles. The question the Christ in Our Neighborhood reflection asks us is: Who is Jesus to you? What is the role of His Church?
Prayerfully discussing the upcoming Sunday Gospel with our friends, family and neighbors through a Christ in Our Neighborhood small group is a wonderful way to come to know the Lord Jesus more intimately. As we ponder what the words mean and then listen to others share their perspectives, we grow closer to Christ.
The passage from this Sunday’s Gospel comes from the 16th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel in which Peter says that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus in turn declares that Peter is “rock and upon this rock, I will build my church…”
While it’s crucial for each believer to have a personal relationship with Christ, it’s vital to remember that we are part of a larger family, the Church. Christ established this Church and declared in the passage of Matthew that the “gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
Although the Church is made up of human persons who often sin and make mistakes, God never makes a mistake. The Church He established is His means of nourishing, protecting, blessing and sanctifying us. He does this through the sacraments and through the Word. We also grow closer to Him through our communion with other believers.
Spending time with Jesus through prayer, approaching Him through the sacraments and living in communion with our brothers and sisters in Christ are all ways God has given us to grow in our relationship with Him.
If you haven’t joined a Christ in Our Neighborhood small group yet, perhaps you are being called to start one yourself. Check out our website today to find out more: dphx.org/Christ-in-our-neighborhood.
Watch the video of the weekly podcast segment featuring Christ in Our Neighborhood with Bishop Dolan by clicking HERE.
To sign up for our weekly Christ in Our Neighborhood newsletter that has everything you need for your next meeting, visit: https://phoenixdiocese.flocknote.com/CION
