August 27, 2017

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time A Isaiah 22: 19-23; Romans 11: 33-36; Matthew 16: 13-20 I’m sure most of us have been in a classroom where the teacher asked difficult questions. Maybe we were afraid or embarrassed to volunteer responses. Probably most were afraid that we would respond incorrectly and have to face perhaps the ‘barbs’ from the instructor. We all like to be complimented…we like to be affirmed when we respond correctly to questions asked of us. Today we are challenged with a question from Jesus in the Gospel and from the prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Paul. In Isaiah we are use to hearing of grand visions and oracles. Today’s reading is an exception. Since the thirteenth chapter Isaiah has been turning his attention away from his own people and dealing with the nine surrounding sinful Gentile nations and cities around Judah. The Hebrew word for oracle is related to a saying meaning to lift up or carry…either lifting up one’s voice or carrying a burden. Isaiah’s oracles often contain a message of doom for these nations prideful ways. Today’s reading begins with a judgement against an official name Shebna who has a big position as ‘master of the palace.’ He seems to be totally concerned with himself and is living a luxurious lifestyle. He even has constructed an elaborate tomb for himself. Isaiah says that God “will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station.” Shebna is concerned with himself and not the concerns of the king. Eliakim is his replacement and Isaiah refers to him as a faithful servant because he looks after others rather than himself. Because Eliakim is concerned with serving others, he will have a secure place within the royal house of David. Later on, Eliakim will prove to be a disappointing replacement (Isaiah 22: 24-25). But until that time, he had mastered what Paul describes that he had the “depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.” Today’s reading from Paul is his concluding passage which looks at the rejection of Israel in God’s plan of salvation. Both Israel and the Gentiles were engrossed in their sins, they had failed to obey God. Two previous verses show this: “Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of mercy shown to you, they too may (now) receive mercy For God delivered all to disobedience that He might have mercy upon all.” Paul then shares this beautiful hymn that was used in the early church showing that all we can do is to give thanks to God for all we have. Our wisdom cannot compare in any way to the wisdom of God and His love for us. So Paul is calling us to look at God’s care for each of us. We so often feel that we know what is the right way and we know how God wants us to live. Do we? What is our vision of God: one who totally agrees with us? Do we feel that we have the upper hand in determining who God is and what His plan is for us? The Gospel begins with Jesus asking His disciples what people are saying about Him and His identity. The Teacher is asking them just what they are hearing, the latest rumors. This is easy for them: they have heard that He is John the Baptist reincarnated or Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Then Jesus asks the question they do not want to hear. He is asking each one of them directly who they think He is. I have asked myself that question frequently, and I continue to do so. I find the responses help me to keep my focus of God’s plan not my interpretation of God’s plan. Here the disciples have been with Jesus for quite a time but they have shown that they were confused, to put it mildly, concerning His identity. It is Peter who comes right out, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” What a response! This so impressed Jesus that He told Peter his response came from a revelation from God and not from Peter’s human knowledge. I’m sure we’ve had ‘divine moments’ like this. Times when we came out with some helpful guidance for a person that had stumped us and the words that came were totally from God. We had never heard, or read about these words. They were the absolutely right words at the right time. All we can say is , Praise God…Thank you Lord! Moments like these should be reflected on. They give us hints of God’s total presence and care for everyone. In these, we catch a glimmer of how each person is important and special. Jesus declared that Peter was the rock on which the Church was built. He was not the Church itself. The Church in the early times was never a perfect body of people nor is it today. The Church is always made up of saints (none of them thinking they were saints) and sinners (and most of these not thinking that they are sinners). The Church has always been watched over by the Holy Spirit. In my school days, I always had in my wallet a card saying ‘I am a Catholic, in time of an accident, please call a priest.’ People referred to this as saying ‘I was a card carrying Catholic’. But the question Jesus asks me today challenges me to decide exactly what I believe. It makes me understand that not only have I been created out of love, I have also been called for what God has made me for. Do I realize this? Do I realize that Jesus is asking me today what exactly it means when I say that I am a Christian? Do I believe that Jesus is my Lord and God and that the Holy Spirit is constantly with me leading me to realize God’s love and to be a person of love myself? Do I realize that this identifies me as a member of God’s family of faith? And that this obligates me to be a person of love all the time? Do I realize that this means I should take the first step toward reconciliation and forgiveness? Do I realize that I am called to continually do acts of kindness and generosity and this is how people recognize that I am living as Jesus taught? This is what it means to live the Kingdom of God here and how it prepares me to be with God in His kingdom of love forever. So I reflect on: • How do I answer Jesus’ question, ‘Who do you say that I am.’ • What difference does my answer make in how I live each day? • What is my ‘leadership style as being a Christian’? Is it as a servant? As a leader? As a forgiver? As a person of joy and kindness? • Have I reflected on why I think God has created me? Can I take time to do this now? Does this have anything to do with my being made in God’s image and likeness? Sacred Space 2017 states “Jesus could trust Peter to be honest—he would say what was on his mind and in his heart. As Jesus asks me the same question, I answer honestly, knowing that nothing I say will alienate Jesus. Am I open to Jesus’ question, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ This test has been used so often for apologetic purposes that it is hard to recapture the drama, the uncertain silence, that must have followed Jesus' question. He wondered what they would say and wonders what I say to the same question. Lord, I linger with this question: What are You to me?”