Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 2023/ Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

Title

On This Rock I Will Build My Church

Outline

Nations, Movements, and Communities are Built on Great Leaders

We can think of Greece and Rome, of the Nations in Europe and North America, we can think of the Civil Rights Movement, and we can think of various Orders and movements within the Church or in other ecclesial communities.

Likewise they slowly or sometimes quickly collapse when the weaknesses of the great leader works themselves out in succeeding generations and/or his good qualities are not taken up by succeeding generations of leaders. Think of the founding leaders of the USA and then think of two qualities that almost destroyed or are still destroying this country, namely their support of slavery, including ownership of slaves, and their commitment to the ideologies of the French Enlightenment, embodied in the Constitution.

Sometimes the whole process moves quickly, as we see in Alexander the Great, who reigned only 13 years and whose empire disintegrated after his death.

Great leaders must have a great foundation, sometimes a great vision, but in the biblical view, God.

We see a change of leadership in Isaiah

The former majordomo or vicar general had power and pomp but had failed to follow God’s ways, so he would be stripped of his power and exiled; God had chosen Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, in his place, a major leader who “shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” and about whom God says, “I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder.” He is not the Davidic King, but he rules with that king’s authority and does so well so he is honored for it.

We see the fulfillment in Matthew

Jesus, in a safe place out of the country, asks who others think him to be. They respond that others see him as a prophetic figure. Then he asks, “And you?” Simon Peter shows the gift of leadership in him by immediately and firmly stating, “You are the Messiah/Christ, Son of the Living God.” Not just prophet, even a priestly prophet, but Messiah, God’s chosen prophet-priest-king and in some sense Son of God (we do not know how deeply Peter understood these words).

Jesus responds by pointing out that a divine election preceded the confession for Jesus’ identity had been revealed to Simon son of Jonah by Jesus’ Father. Then he as king makes the formal appointment of Peter (rock) as the foundation (upon this rock) of his community, his civic gathering. The play on words is clear in Greek and even stronger if Jesus spoke in Aramaic. The confession is the foundation of Peter’s office, but Peter embodies the confession for the Church. And death itself (the Gates of Hades) will not be able to “prevail.” Jesus will die and break the gates in rising and the Church embodied in its leaders will likewise do it. Peter still rules as vicar general, so to speak, in the presence of God and his successors rule this side of death. The Church is the final kingdom, for unlike Rome and Greece and the like death does not end it

The authority of Peter (which Matthew chapter eighteen notes is shared with the other 11) is that of Eliakim, he has the “keys” and can open and shut. And it is not surprising, then, that the successors of the vicar are called “father,” that they are fathers to those in the “Jerusalem and Judea.”

What do we learn, then, from this passage?

First, let me note that I realized that that basic exegesis I realized decades before I considered becoming Catholic. The data is there, although I did not see the Eliakim connection before becoming Catholic.

Second, God controls who rules in the nation, whether they recognize him or not, so we should not be concerned about or put our hope in any “prince.” That also includes his ability to remove any Pope or bishop who fails to follow the foundational commitment that was Peter’s.

Third, the rule or kingdom of God transcends any earthly kingdom, as, therefore, does the Church, and unlike earthly kingdoms death has no power over it. It is not a rival to the state, for it transcends any earthly state although where they overlap, i.e. in the citizens of the state whose allegiance is given to Jesus as Lord, Son of the Living God, its demands transcend and take precedence over those of the state.

Finally, Jesus has appointed Peter and with him the apostolic college, as his vicar over the Church and, since Peter (and the other apostles) followed Jesus through death into the divine presence, also Peter’s successors, also appointed by revelation of God, ruling at least the Church Militant.

If we really confess Jesus as our Savior and Ruler, Son of the Living God, then we must live under the authority of his designated vicar, Simon Peter and his successors.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 8-27-2023: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Isaiah 22:19–23

19 I will thrust you from your office

and pull you down from your station.

20 On that day I will summon my servant

Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;

21 I will clothe him with your robe,

gird him with your sash,

confer on him your authority.

He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and to the house of Judah.

22 I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder;

what he opens, no one will shut,

what he shuts, no one will open.

23 I will fix him as a peg in a firm place,

a seat of honor for his ancestral house;

Catholic Daily Readings 8-27-2023: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 138:8bc

8 The LORD is with me to the end.

LORD, your mercy endures forever.

Never forsake the work of your hands!

PSALM

Psalm 138:1–3, 6, 8

1 Of David.

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;

in the presence of the angels to you I sing.

2 I bow low toward your holy temple;

I praise your name for your mercy and faithfulness.

For you have exalted over all

your name and your promise.

3 On the day I cried out, you answered;

you strengthened my spirit.

6 The LORD is on high, but cares for the lowly

and knows the proud from afar.

8 The LORD is with me to the end.

LORD, your mercy endures forever.

Never forsake the work of your hands!

Catholic Daily Readings 8-27-2023: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

Romans 11:33–36

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord

or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Or who has given him anything

that he may be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-27-2023: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 16:18

18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

GOSPEL

Matthew 16:13–20

13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16  Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20  Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 8-27-2023: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023 | ORDINARY TIME

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

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

GREEN