Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, August 23, 2020
EPISODE 248
Readings for 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
FIRST READING: Isaiah 22:19-23
Psalm 138:1-2a, 2b-3, 6+8. "Lord, your love is eternal, do not forsake the work of your hands."
SECOND READING: Romans 11:33-36
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION, (Matthew 16:18).Alleluia, alleluia! You are Peter, the rock on which I will build my Church. The gates of hell will not hold out against it.
GOSPEL: Matthew 16:13-20
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed ID: 779219806. LEPOGLAVA, CROATIA - MARCH 17: Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, the picture on a wardrobe in the sacristy of the church of the Immaculate Conception in Lepoglava, Croatia on March 17, 2017. By Zvonimir Atletic
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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, August 23, 2020, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ordinary-21a-episode-248 (EPISODE: 248)
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Prologue. (Fr Paul): In the Gospel, Our Lord gives St Peter, (the first amongst the apostles), the keys to the Kingdom.
Our Lord builds his church on the solid rock of the profession of faith that Peter makes. This profession of faith is ours as well, these many centuries later.
"But you….. who do YOU say I am?"
We are in awe of the fact that Our Lord is so protective of each and every one of his Heavenly father's sons and daughters, and so protective that he even says…. "I regard that what you do to even the least of these little ones, it is as if you are doing it to me personally" …. And so, over each one of us and all of us….Our Lord throws over a cloak of protection, care and inclusion that is beyond measure ……… Our Lord is the ultimate revelation of not only what God is like.,… but how God acts towards us… and what God feels towards each of us…. and that is very good news…
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21st Sunday-Ord. Time- 2020
I am frequently asked to write references for people wishing to work within the Catholic Church. I am asked to give a reference about their participation in their faith. This is often a very difficult task since often all I know is that they are baptised and are sometimes seen in Church.
I don't always know if they live their faith outside of the walls of the Church. I don't know what values and standards they live by, and I don't really know if they will bring those standards to the employment they seek. I am often left to ask other people" Who do you say/think this person is?"
"Are they genuinely who they profess to be?"
Question of who am I? and where am I going does not occur
'But you... who do YOU say I am?'
The question that Jesus puts to his disciples is challenging and direct. The most significant words are 'BUT YOU' - they cannot avoid the question, they must make an individual response.
The Gospels paint a very honest picture of Peter, a person who is very much human. He makes mistakes, is called, challenged, rebuked, forgiven, given responsibility, and encouraged by Christ. Sometimes he seems almost too human to be given such a tremendous responsibility. It's clear that he had leadership qualities as well as glaring weaknesses. He is brave and cowardly, a rock and jelly. With some reflective prayer, we should all be able to see how very similar our relationship is to Christ as was Peter's.
Peter is eloquent in his simplicity. He states clearly that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one, God among us. Jesus reminds Peter that his faith is God's-given gift, a gift that promotes his leadership of the college of apostles.
Jesus first called Peter because he had potential, yet Peter resisted "Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man", yet Jesus chose to make him a partner in his work since we know that responsibility helps people grow. Jesus challenged him, corrected him and told him off and refused to comprise on matters of principle. The consoling part of their relationship was that Jesus understood Peter's motives more than his actions and did not write him off when he failed, and he did fail frequently. He trusted Peter and did not spoil him. He became who Jesus encouraged him to be. Peter is us; In our strength and our weakness, in our certainty and our doubt.
The gospel question is directed to all who claim to be Christians. We have been given the gift of faith. Jesus has been revealed to us. His life confronts us. Will our profession of faith be as quick and as sure as Peter's? Do our lives show forth the faith that we profess in our hearts? Our answer to the question 'Who do you say I am?' is not just cerebral. It affects the totality of our lives, our attitudes, our relationships with others. To recognise Jesus as the Son of God at work in people's lives gives us hope and a clearer vision of God's love for us.
Being "part of the Catholic crowd" is hardly the challenge Jesus presents to the disciples. We are commissioned like the disciples to witness to Christ's personal love in the workplace, with our friends, and in our families.
Thomas Merton once said, 'I have learned to rejoice that Jesus is in the world of people who know Him not, that He is at work in them when they think themselves far from Him and it is my joy to tell you to hope, though you think that for you, hope is impossible. Hope not because you think you can be good but because God loves us irrespective of our minds and whatever is good in us comes from His love, not from our own doing'.
When we profess faith in Jesus, when we lose ourselves in the mystery of God, this is the vision that will sustain us.
Our great quest in life is to move from telling people what we believe, to letting them see who we are. In doing so it should be clear what we believe.
I can't genuinely profess a belief in God whom I claim to love and not show a love for those who love with and around me in the world. I can't profess to follow the message of Christ and then avoid showing a sensitive option for the poor.
It is not enough to say "this is who I am as a Christian" unless that is visible in the way that I live.
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References:
homily: fr peter Dillon
prologue: Fr Paul W. Kelly
Break Open the Word. Liturgical Commission. 2011.
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed ID: 779219806. LEPOGLAVA, CROATIA - MARCH 17: Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, picture on a wardrobe in the sacristy of the church of the Immaculate Conception in Lepoglava, Croatia on March 17, 2017. By Zvonimir Atletic
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A (Sunday, August 23, 2020) (EPISODE: 248 )
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{Love and joy be with everyone}}
As we prepare to celebrate the great Sacramental feast of Gods love, let us pause, recall our sins, and trust in Gods infinite mercy.
Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life: Lord, have mercy// //Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins: Christ, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary III
Euch prayer two
(OPENING THEME VARIATION: 2)
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{{Thank you for giving generously of your time and prayer.}}
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray," by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).
Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The ….Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John Kelly - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement Stefan Kelk 2020.
- "Today I Arise" - For Tricia J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
May God bless and keep you.
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