21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); 8-23-20

Is 22:19-23.  Ps 138.  Rom 11:33-36.  Mt 16:13-20

Deacon Jim McFadden

 

            St. Paul reminds us in the second reading, in case we should ever forget, that “How inscrutable are (God’s) judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”  (Rom 11:33b).  And, he underscores that truth with an exclamation point!  This assessment is illustrated perfectly when Jesus confers religious leadership, involving sacred trust, to Simon called Peter.  Peter, the impetuous one!  Peter, the one given to braggadocio!  Peter, the one who denied Jesus three times!  Peter, who was so afraid that he took a pass on Jesus crucifixion!  Of all people Jesus could have selected to be the foundation of his Church, why did he choose the most unlikely person?

Such “inscrutable judgments” certainly have a long pedigree, beginning in the Old Testament as God made Israel his Chosen People, by whom salvation would come into the world.  He did so  though Israel was the smallest and weakest of nations.  He chose David to be his king par excellence, though he was the youngest of Jesse’s brood.  God relates to us in this way so that there can be no doubt that the One Who is bringing about fruitful outcomes is God and not us.  God is the Doer; we are his instruments.

            So, the Lord gives incredible trust and authority to Peter (and his successors)  as persons.  Simply put, Jesus believes in Peter.  Peter does not “deserve” this sacred trust as  noted; but, the personal dynamic of Jesus believing in Peter (and us) draws the very best out of him.  To the point, Jesus believes in those whom He calls.  He is calling you.  But, you might say, I’m insignificant what can I do?  Jesus called Simon a “rock” (Petros)), but he probably didn’t feel like a rock, but a small pebble.  That’s all right because the smallest stone becomes precious because Jesus picks it up, gazes at it with great tenderness, molds it with his Spirit, and positions it in the right place and right time where it can be useful in building up the Kingdom of God.

Each of us, just like Peter, are small, yet we are “living stones” because when Jesus places it in his hand, he makes it his own; he infuses it with his life, his grace which he communicates through the Holy Spirit, “the Lord and giver of Life.”  We receive his life from the eternal reservoir of his Love.  So, everyone of us, has an important place and mission in the Church. The latter is essentially more than an institution, but is a living organism—she is the mystical Body of Christ, and we are the members of that Body.  This vibrant, living Body is a community of brothers and sisters, of a rich diversity of many stones, all wonderfully different and unique, which form a single ecclesial edifice as a sign of our solidarity and communion with the one true God.

Moreover, today’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus also wanted Peter to be the visible center of communion and fellowship for his Church.  Peter, too, was not a great stone and neither is Pope Francis.  They both would bring to their governance their frailty and sinfulness.  Nonetheless, Jesus reassures us that “the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18c).  Jesus will not allow his Church to be overcome or to die!  Though the Church is “one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic”, every one of her members is sinful.  We all make mistakes, but as long as we keep our gaze on Jesus, we will never turn to death; the Church will never go against the Gospel.  The Church, despite the flaws of her members, will believe in Life and will proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.  We may not always be faithful to the Lord, but we believe that the Lord will always be faithful to the Church.  And, through our baptism, we are an integral member of the Church, the Body of Christ.  That’s why Jesus will never give up on us.

Having given that reassurance to Peter, Jesus then states that “I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven” (v. 19), which is God’s great gamble!  God trusts the human gathering, called Church, to such a degree that he places it in our hands; he believes we will treasure it.  He unconditionally gives us the “keys to the Kingdom”!  All He asks us to do is to proclaim the Good News and share the Kingdom with others.

Why would God take this great gamble?  While his ‘ways are inscrutable,” His trust in Peter and the Church should give us the faith to do the same with others: to entrust ourselves to feeble flesh, to little pebbles, to broken people; to make ourselves accountable to our brothers and sisters.   If Jesus, the Son of the living God can put himself in relationship to broken humanity, why can’t we?  We can’t wait for perfect situations before we commit.  Our pride contrasts sharply with Jesus who identifies with imperfect, often maddening humanity.  Jesus gives Himself to an imperfect Church.  As dearly departed Bishop Quinn of Sacramento once said, “The Church is not a museum of saints but a hospital of sinners.”  Unfortunately we have resisted this truth as we tend to move away from imperfect groups.  We want others to get their act together before we commit.

Jesus, on the other hand, gives remarkable trust and power to unworthy men and women.  We tend to think that imperfect persons aren’t loveable; so, we use that as an excuse never to love them.  We never surrender ourselves to imperfect beings because the only One who is perfect is God.  But, People of God, Love is a dynamic reality and at the human level, it only applies to imperfect beings. That’s why God does not adore us (adoration only applies to a perfect Being), but he does love us unconditionally.  So, he calls us to do the same love/trust relationship with one another, with the Church, with the People of God.  As you reflect upon the universal gathering of the Church, this is all we got; there is no plan B.  So, let us love and serve our brothers and sisters in Faith! Amen.