February 22 – St Peter’s Chair in Rome (Feastday)sacred space

Antiphons at Lauds - Psalms of Sunday of the 1st week

1. The Lord said to Simon Peter: Do not fear, hitherto you shall be a fisherman of men.

2. You are the Messiah, Son of the living God. Blessed are you, Simon Peter.

3. The Lord said to Peter: I shall give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Acts 15, 7-9

You know how a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe; and God, which who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Those days, the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, "You went along with men uncircumcised and you ate with them."

But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, "I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: whereupon when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

"And I heard a voice saying unto me: ‘Arise, Peter; slay and eat.’ But I said: ‘Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean has ever entered into my mouth!’ But the voice answered me again from heaven: ‘What God hath has made clean, that you may not call common.’ And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.

"Behold, immediately, there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: and he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him: ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; he shall tell you words, whereby you and all your house shall be saved.’

"And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how he said: ‘John indeed baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?"

When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, "Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life!"

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