Peter the Rock Bible Study

August 24, 2014 "Peter the Rock" Bible Study

In view of the Gospel for today, it's only right that Living Waters should rejoice in the great grace the song "Peter the Rock" has been for us. Of course, it was personally presented to John Paul II by Ambassador Raymond Flynn. Greg and Denise and I had recorded it at Jim's house, and Julia was the one who insisted we try to give it to John Paul. Also, Joyce Drahos had created that beautiful dance for the song that we performed in concert in the picture here.  We have posted it on this blog before, but I had never posted the Bible Study about it.  Long after I wrote the song, when I had become a teacher, it occurred to me that the lyrics are all Scripture drawn from all over the Bible. For instance, Our Lord was using imagery drawn from Isaiah 22 (the first reading today) in order to explain to Peter his role. Here is part of the handout I give my students. The place Jesus said these words was significant as well. There was a pagan shrine to the God Pan near the place he spoke where great evil was done in a cave called The Jaws of Hades, or the 'gates of Hell': a pretty good audio/visual He used for that lesson! Here is part of the handout for for your learning pleasure:

 “ P E T E R   T H E   R O C K ”

By Mark A. Lajoie

(Presented by Ambassador Flynn to, & blessed by John Paul II!)

Song Analysis & Bible Study

http://www.reverbnation.com/livingwaters/song/4634250-peter-rock-multi-track-wvocals (audio)

http://www.youtube.com/v/dlUXHI-URx0 (lyric video created by a friend)

                           A                                     G                              Em  A                      G-Em

1.          SIMON, ALL NIGHT THROUGH, ON THE MOUNTAIN, I PRAYED FOR YOU

            [Luke 6:12-13; Luke 22:32]

                            A                                         G                             Em  A                  G-Em

            AND I PRAYED FOR ALL WHO’LL COME TO KNOW & BELIEVE THE TRUTH

            [John 17:17-21]

                        Am                                                                                                      E7

            BUT HOW CAN THEY KNOW WHAT’S REALLY TRUE THROUGH THE TEST OF TIME?

            [John 15:26; 16:12-13]

                        Am                                                                                                      E

            I WILL CHOOSE FOR THEM TWELVE AND FROM THE TWELVE I WILL MAKE YOU MINE

            [All NT lists of Apostles begin w/Peter; his actions show final authority]

            PETER…

                                                A                                 D                                 A

CHORUS:       YOU ARE ROCK AND ON THIS ROCK MY CHURCH WILL GROW

                        [Matthew 16:18-19; cf. Isaiah 22:20-24, especially verse 22]

                                                F#m                                           D                   Bm                   E9-E

                        YOU’RE MY VOICE AND THROUGH YOUR MOUTH MY WORDS WILL FLOW

                        [Matthew 10:40; Luke 10:16]

                                                A                                 Dmaj7

                        WHEN ON EARTH YOU BIND AND LOOSE

                        [Matthew 16:19 again]

                                                A             Amaj7          F#m – F#m (F bass)

                        I’LL DO THE SAME IN HEAVEN TOO

                                    A            F#m              Bm           E                  D         A

                        AND ALL WHO LISTEN TO ME WILL LISTEN TO YOU

                        [Luke 10:16 again]

2.          SIMON, ALL NIGHT LONG, I PRAYED FOR YOU THAT YOU MIGHT BE STRONG [Lk. 22:22-32]

            FOR SATAN HAS WANTED TO SIFT YOU, TO TEMPT AND TEST YOU ALL

            BUT WHEN YOU GET UP AGAIN, GO TO YOUR BROTHERS AND STRENGTHEN THEM

            I WILL GIVE YOU HEAVEN’S KEYS TO TEND MY SHEEP, TO FEED MY LAMBS

            [Mt. 16:19 again]                                                                      [Jn. 21:15-19]

            PETER…(CHORUS)

3.         MY SHEEP AND MY LAMBS, I’VE PRAYED FOR YOU THAT YOU MIGHT BE ONE [Jn. 21]

            ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE IN HEART AND MIND IN THE SON [Eph 4:1-4; Phil 2:1-2]

            SO FLY TO THE ROCK FOR THE GATES OF HELL WILL NOT PREVAIL! [Mt. 16:18-19]

            AND LISTEN AS I TALK THROUGH MY SHEPHERD WHOM I WILL NEVER FAIL

                                                                                                                        [Lk. 12:41-48]

            JOHN PAUL…(CHORUS)

John Paul the GREAT!

"John Paul the GREAT!"

www.reverbnation.com/play_now/5797863 for "Rock and Boat (Boat of Peter)"
www.reverbnation.com/play_now/4634250 for "Peter the Rock"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GovEYN2NtRc for a 'muvee' photo version of "Peter the Rock"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwLKACz1YZA for live concert dance video of "Peter the Rock"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayGb3rlsFQQ for raw concert video of "Rock and Boat..."

My wife and I have spent time the past two days watching the lead-up to the beatification ceremony for John Paul.  Seeing all the cuts of this master communicator with his depths of prayer humbled us deeply at how God's Mercy reached out to us all through him.  Several of us in the group have been touched pretty directly in several ways.  Jim and Danny's brother, the aptly named Peter, got to meet him several times up close.  Below we will mention the song, "Peter the Rock".  His effect on our music and ministry is probably incalculable.  His mission to "Open wide the doors to Christ!" was exactly what we - and the world - needs.

"The Great" is an 'unofficial' title but it comes unanimously and unbidden, an instance of that 'vox populi' which speaks as the voice of God.  (The other "Great" Popes were Leo who stared down Atilla, Gregory who gave us the Calendar and the Chant among many other things and Nicholas, whose missionary zeal changed the world.)  The Holy Spirit filled the future Benedict XVI when he called him "great" in that first speech and the crowd swelled and called for the immediate recognition of what God had wrought.  He was a providential comet streaking across the sky of the world, especially in his holiness even more than his ample natural gifts and his affect upon history.

This week, in honor of all this,I put out "Peter the Rock" as a free download on a special platform on FaceBook.  (There is an earlier post talking about that song and how John Paul accepted and blessed it.)  I would also point out "Rock and Boat (Boat of Peter)" which was also written partially as a reaction to the election of the Great Polish Pope.  St. John Bosco had a dream foreseeing a Council in the mid-20th century and a great storm buffeting the Boat of Peter, but that the Pope would firmly retie the Boat down in the midst of the storm.  There's no doubt in my mind that John Paul the Great was that Pope of the 20th century. (You can see on the blog an entry where I translated this song INto Latin using Google translate! 

"Navigatio est! Navigatio est! Navigatio est!
Est aeternum navigasse mari

Nauigamus! Nauigamus! Nauigamus!
Nauigamus in aeternum mari

Nauigamus! Nauigamus! Nauigamus! Nauigamus!")

I feel like we ARE sailing on the Eternal Sea on a Boat Christ built!! Let us celebrate this very special Divine Mercy Sunday!

Peace & Love & JOY,
Mark Lajoie!