Sunday Mass for the 21st Sunday Ordinary Time 2020 - Year A
Channel: Jesuit Institute South Africa
Date: 23/08/2020

Join the Jesuit Institute South Africa as they celebrate the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time.
This morning's Mass is celebrated by Fr Matthew Charlesworth SJ.

Owing to COVID-19 and the suspensions of Mass in various parts of the country, we invite everyone to make a 'Spiritual Communion' with us during this Mass. More resources are available at https://www.jesuitinstitute.org.za/covid-19-resources/

You might want to light a candle, or do something to make this a prayerful time for you all. Our readings for this Mass are:

              First Reading                  Isaiah 22:19–23
              Response                        Psalm 138:8bc
              Psalm                               Psalm 138:1–3, 6, 8
              Second Reading             Romans 11:33–36
              Gospel Acclamation      Matthew 16:18
              Gospel                              Matthew 16:13–20

Homily (begins at 10:15)

Today we are asked to contemplate authority and to pray for those in authority. Authority is legitimate power, and in our readings today we see how certain individuals are legitimized, and what power is given to them by the ultimate authority, the one whom Peter calls the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ.

There are two images used in our readings today that originated in the Old Testament, were picked up in the New Testament and continue to be applied to the Christian community today. Those two images are the rock, and the keys, which represent, I think, the power and the legitimacy of authority. The rock refers to faith in God – which is the believer’s ‘super-power’ if you will. In the Psalms, God is often referred to as the rock, meaning the foundation that one can depend on unconditionally. God’s Word, especially in Scripture, is seen to be trustworthy. And St Paul tells us that ‘the rock was Christ’ when God’s Word became Flesh. In this morning’s Gospel Jesus allows Simon Peter, and the future leaders of the Church, to share in that quality when he says: “You are the rock, and on this rock I will build my Church”. Christ’s Church will also participate in this quality of unconditional trustworthiness since we’re told that “The gates of hell shall not prevail against her.” But it was not Peter’s own doing that allowed him to recognize Christ, it was his faith, which was a gracious gift from God. Such faith is the foundation upon which Christ builds his Church. So what each of us is being asked today to consider this morning is the quality of our own faith. Who do we say Jesus is?

The second image that is used is that of the keys which represent the power to open and close, but notice, it is the keys given to a specific person. No skeleton key exists whereby someone else might also be able to open and close. We believe this applies to all who share in the priestly office derived from the Apostles: only the appointed pastor of a congregation (and his assistants) can have the keys, which he may not lend to or share with anyone else. Just as Eliakim in today’s first reading was entrusted with the keys over the royal household, Peter was promised the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Implied in this is a responsibility of religious leadership that throughout history has been exercised in the church by bishops and in a special way by the pope. 

But as we consider these two images representing faith and authority let us notice three things.
The first is that it is a mistake to believe that if we ever had any doubts, or doubt even now, that somehow our faith is weak. Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is but one element of it. Because the opposite of faith is not doubt, it is certainty. For Peter, Jesus recognized that it was not ‘flesh and blood’ that revealed Christ to him, but Jesus’ Father in heaven. If we are looking to increase faith in our life, we must ask God the Father to send us his grace.

The second is to notice how after Jesus gave Peter a new name and this power of the keys, that he still accompanied him. Jesus knew who Peter was and what he would do later. Remember Peter would be the man who would later doubt and deny even knowing Jesus, and that is why Jesus forgave him so that his mercy and compassion would be the model for Peter’s authority in the Church. His was not a power to rule over, but a strength to serve as Christ did. Let’s recall the image of Jesus washing the feet, or suffering for our sake so that we might be saved. That is the example of leadership.

You can listen to this homily at
https://www.jesuitinstitute.org.za/sunday-reflections/listen-reflection-for-the-21st-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a/

or download it to read here,
https://www.jesuitinstitute.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Homily-21st-Sunday-of-Ordinary-Time.pdf