Email Guidelines Dara's Homilies 21st August Sunday Homily
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The Gospel this Sunday tells of the appointment of Peter as leader of the Apostles, and Christ's plan to build his Church on that 'rock'. This co-incides nicely with the Pope’s ‘World Youth Day’ of August in Madrid.
The second reading reminds us that the leader of our leaders is God himself (the Trinity themselves!), "For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?". Paul praises the fact that it's God himself that does marvels. It’s actually of relevance that Peter doesn’t recognize Jesus simply as the Messiah (‘the anointed’ in Hebrew is ‘Messiah’ and in Greek is ‘Kristos’) but also as the Son of God. Peter recognizes Jesus as more than a great person sent by God, but as part of God Himself (or Themselves – the Trinity).
It's obvious that the creator of the universe and of human life must be pretty clever, but what's your attitude to the Papacy in Rome? Many may think that it needs some kind of saintly superman to be Pope, but I think our respect for him should be based on something much deeper: he's the one Christ has appointed, through his many 'cardinals'. That's what's needed. Peter was certainly no 'superman!. His training was as a fisherman - and he made plenty of mistakes - even to the point of denying Jesus on Good Friday, out of cowardice. But Jesus afterwards healed that. Peter was the builder of our Church. If Christ chooses Peter, then He chooses Peter. We're not called to bow down and praise any human being, but to praise God, however it is through human beings such as the Pope, that God acts.
Many praise and applaud the Pope, from St Peter's in Rome to the corner of the world where he travels, but he's got to be humble! When the white smoke rose as a symbol of his appointment as Pope in the Vatican around 1960, Pope John XXIII announced "That's how mundane glory rises up an disappears!". Every Pope begins every Mass, saying with the congregation: "I confess to almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned... etc".
The second reading today is based on how God rejected the way the Jews had set up 'the master of the palace' (Shebna) as some kind of divine appointee. That was around 740 BC. I don't think that we should delve into an analysis of the politics of the time, but I think it's read this Sunday just to remind us that God acts through the ones that God himself chooses. It's not for us to choose.
Also it's not for us to decide on our own what role we ourselves are going to play in the human family and in the Church. We should pay attention to what God wants - and to be faithful to that. God acts through the Papacy, but He wants to act through you and I also. It's up to each of us to find out our own role, and it's when we're all faithful to that, that the Church can be properly built. Part two of the question of Jesus today is important: “But the way you live your life, what does that tell others about Christ? Do you give good clear ‘testimony’?
Also remember that Sunday is a day for giving thanks (Eucharist) because somehow the faith arrived at our door. That's a tremendous good luck. Imagine what hope you'd have travelling through life if it seemed to be like a road running directly into a brick wall! The faith is vital, and it's a gift. After Peter made his profession of faith, Jesus says "Blessed are you... for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father". And the faith is a gift offered lovingly to man rather than an imposition that man just has to accept. God doesn't oblige. It's up to us to humbly open that door of faith, but the marvel is that somehow, God has knocked and keeps knocking. He calls to us from the cross, and that wins me over. For some reason, I never get tired of thinking of Christ... and with Christ. I think that that's because He really is the Son of the living God!
Let Christ ask you today "But who do you say that I am?". Catholic theology gives a clear answer, but deep down in our own personal hearts let’s revive the conviction “Lord, you are my supreme master and my best friend”
Dara
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