Over the course of the forty years that Israel wandered in the desert because it had refused to enter the promised land after forty days, it still nurtured the memory of the fruits of its former slavery (Numbers 20:1-13). Would that it could once again enjoy grain and figs and pomegranates instead of lacking sufficient water to drink! In the face of the grumbling of the Israelites, God commands Moses to draw water from the rock from them in order to show them the greatness of God and his care for them.
In today’s gospel (Mt 16:13-23), Jesus establishes a new rock, his disciple Simon, now called Peter (Rock), upon which he will build his Church, “and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” At times, perhaps, even Simon Peter might say “God forbid!” to the passion that the Christ must suffer, and then must suffer the rebuke of our Lord. But nonetheless, he remains the Rock and the Lord remains ever faithful to the Church built upon it. So let us ground our faith in this rock upon which the Church is built so that we may remain ever close to that living water of faith that it provides, through Christ, for the sake of the world.