21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Isaiah 22:19-23: I place the key the House of David on his shoulder.

II Reading: Romans 11:33-36: All that exists come from him; all is by him and for him.

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-23: You are Peter, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

The Messiah’s Dramatic Revelation of Himself and His Church:

Peter’s Great Confession, Mt 16:13-20

Jesus asks two questions: one is for the people, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Then he asks his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Simon son of Jonah confesses, “You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.” This is the true identity of Jesus Christ sharing the divine nature of God reveals to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3). Hence Jesus becomes the true God himself who is the God of living and the dead.

Jesus reveals his Divine revelation and teaches his disciples and builds His Church on Peter’s great confession of faith that Jesus as the Messiah or Christ, the Son of the living God as against the false gods and goddesses.  Jesus Christ versus Caesarea Philippi/Caesar Augustus.

Peter received a new name, as Abram became Abraham, no longer Simon bar Jonah, but Peter the Rock, for such was the meaning of his new name. Isaiah placed the “key of the House of David” on the shoulder of his appointee; in a similar way our Lord denoted Peter’s future authority.

1. Jesus Christ was in the area of Caesarea Philippi (v.13)

2. This confession is not the confession of the world (v.13-14)

a. The first critical question

b. The false confessions

3. This confession declares one’s trust in Christ (v.15-16)

a. The second critical question, v.15

b. The true confession: a personal confession in Jesus Christ

4. This confession is revealed by God alone (v.17)

5. This confession is the foundation of the Church (v.18)

a. Fact 1: His Church

b. Fact 2: He builds

c. Fact 3: He protects

6. This confession assigns great responsibility to believers for the Church (v.19)

a. A resp. to use the keys to the kingdom of heaven

b. A resp. to bind and loose on earth

7. This confession must be understood before being shared with others (v.20)

Thought: The Church is the church of Jesus Christ and not the church of Peter or Paul or priests or bishops or popes; and he said, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

Note the exact words spoken by Jesus Christ:

1. “My church.” The church is Christ’s not humans.

2. “I will build.” Christ builds the church.

3. “The gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Christ himself protects the church.

The true church is universal. It is made up of all who genuinely confess Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. If God is living, then Christ is living. He is, therefore, “My God and my Lord.”

Two things are essential before a believer can effectively proclaim the gospel.

1. He/she must understand the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1Cor 15:1-4).

2. He/she must be filled with the Spirit of God (Acts 1:8).

What is our confession concerning Jesus today being baptized Christians?

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

 

20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Isaiah 56:1.6-7: I will bring foreigners to my holy mountain.

II Reading: Romans 11:13-15.29-32: With Israel, God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.

Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28: Woman, you have great faith.

The Messiah Teaches What It Takes to Receive Things of God

In this passage we see the persistent faith with humility of a Canaanite woman and mercy of Jesus. Canaanites were not just ordinary enemies but ancestral enemies of the Jews.

We heard in the readings the work of God to save humankind. The fullness of salvation came to human beings through Jesus Christ. We are saved because of God’s mercy and love. It is an incomprehensible mystery that anyone should reject the salvation which God offers.

Let us look at how Jesus took to lead the Canaanite woman to faith in himself. Jesus knew very thought of her heart, and he knew exactly what was needed to lead her to a personal faith in him. At first the woman saw Jesus only as the Son of David, a great miracle worker to liberate people from their ills and problems whether national or personal. She needed to grow in her concept of Christ. She learnt step by step that Jesus is the Lord who is to be worshipped (v.25). He is the Master of all lives (or dogs, v.26-27), and a person must persist and demonstrate humility in seeking him.

1. Jesus withdrew to Gentile religions (v.21-22)

a. The border of Tyre and Sidon

b. A desperate woman approached Jesus

2. A cry of need (v.22)

a. She cried for mercy

b. She cried to the Son of David

c. She cried for another –for her daughter

3. A persistence that would not quit (v.23-24)

a. Despite Jesus’ silence

b. Despite the objection of the disciples

c. Despite being undeserving

4. A spirit that worshipped Jesus as Lord (v.25)

5. A spirit of humility and surrender (v.26-27)

a. The need to learn humility

b. The confession of humility: she accepted Jesus’ verdict of her

6. A great faith (v.28)

a. Jesus’ climactic commendation: “you have great faith”

b. Jesus’ climactic reward: granted her request/wish for healing of her daughter

Thought: There is a difference in the way people seek Jesus and pray.

1. Some people pray that God might hear. There is no complete faith in God.

2. Some people pray with persistence or perseverance constantly with a desperate heart and humility without any doubt in God. This Canaanite woman knew Jesus was her only hope, so she would not quit. She would not be discouraged by anything-not by silence or an objection or by an apparent rebuff.

What is great faith? The steps taken by this woman tell us:

1) It is a desperate cry of need (v.22)

2) It is a persistence that will not quit (v.23-24)

3) It is a sprit that worships Jesus as the Lord (v.25)

4) It is a spirit of humility and surrender to the Lord (v.26-27)

5) It is a faith that receives its request (v.28).

There are only two individuals whose faith Jesus pronounced to be great: this woman’s and the centurion. It is worth noting that both are Gentiles (Mt 8:10). We need the way of desperate seeking to Jesus’ help.

Let us all trust in Jesus Christ our Saviour; whose only work is to save us. The greater our trust in him, the greater the wonders he will work in our favour.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

 The Assumption of Mary defines her heavenly glory in body and soul in eternal life as her immaculate conception predestined her "Motherhood in the order of grace"(LG 62).

This means the joy and blessedness that comes from loving and merciful God who is Light, Life and Love. It also means fullness of communion with all who love God, with all whom God loves. "Blessed is she who has believed..." (Lk 1:45). The promises of the Lord were fulfilled for Mary as always beyond expectation.

Her assumption enables her even now to live her blessedness in the fullness of her glorified humanity. Mary's personal experience of God's goodness and greatness in her Magnificat lifts her up the lowly handmaid of the Lord by scattering the proud and the riches in empty.

Mary the Queen of Assumption- Pray for us

23Eisah Forte, Eva Partima Jojo and 21 others

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 Friday 19th Week in Ordinary Time A:

Mt 19:3-12: Jesus reminds the Pharisees that marriage is spiritually binding before God. Marriage is not merely a social contract, and as God has joined, he expects man to honour that joining and to keep the marriage together.

Divorce is never commanded, but permitted by God in certain circumstances, and God permits it because of the hardness of hearts.

What God has united, man must not separate (Mt 19:6).

Today's great challenge of the family life is divorce or separation or broken family.

15Ranju Tina, Eva Partima Jojo and 13 others

 Thursday 19th Week in Ordinary Time A:

Mt 18:21-19:1: Forgiveness is not for seven times but it must be seventy times seven is not 490 times; but to forgive the offenders or enemies unlimited times with love and mercy which is the new teaching of Jesus Christ.

Genuine forgiveness starts from the compassionate heart with humility.

Jesus' teaching about retaliation and love of enemies in Mt 5:38-48 is rightly reaveled his forgiveness even on the cross.

"Those who will not forgive cannot expect to be forgiven" (France). As James wrote, judgement is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy (James 2:13).

The unforgiving man in the parable of Jesus has been tortured by his own evil thoughts and deeds; and we remain already under the condemnation and judgement of God.

Who can forgive his or her own enemies?

There is no Christian life and faith without love, mercy and forgiveness.

16Eva Partima Jojo, Amélia Maia and 14 others

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