Homilies & Commentaries for 21st Sunday Year A

Homilies:

“Paul exults in the mystery of God. He tried his best and now he knows he cannot grasp it. Mysteries… How could God allow the innocent to suffer so much? How can we reconcile God’s love with a child with leukemia, human trafficking, etc. Paul shows here the prayerful surrender after having thought this these huge questions deeply… prayerfully surrendering to the mystery. Even married couples married for 50 years… say their spouses are even more mysterious now than when they first met. 2 things = think deeply + prayerful surrender” (Bishop Barron).

Dr. Tim Gray’s Reflection from Opening the Word (on Formed website)

Jesus asks us today: “Who do you say that I am?”
To answer “Isn’t Jesus alone enough?” ** Like – “How can someone say, I love the king but I hate his kingdom?” You cannot separate Christ and His Church just like you cannot separate a king from his kingdom. Jesus is a king who came to establish a kingdom. Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom. Peter recognizes that Jesus is king. Then Jesus makes Peter prime minister.

Jesus’ opinion poll has two parts, which have two distinct questions. First, “Who do people say that I am?” And second, “Who do you say that I am?”
Between the two responses there is a leap over an abyss, a “conversion.” To answer the first question it was only necessary to look around, to have listened to people’s opinions. But to answer the second question, it was necessary to look inside, to listen to a completely different voice, a voice that was not of flesh and blood but of the Father in heaven. Peter was enlightened from on high.
Jesus does not seem to value very much what the people think of him. He wants to know what his disciples think of him. He immediately asks them to speak for themselves. He does not let them hide behind the opinions of others. He wants them to speak of their own opinions. Almost the identical situation repeats itself today.

If no one is Pope everyone is pope. If no one is in charge everyone is in charge.
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” = Who is Jesus Christ?
The job of the Church = preach the truth of Her Head = Jesus Christ. In season and out of season.
Then Jesus asks, Who do you say that I am? … silence …
then Peter announces the truth.
Our trust is in God that God is guiding them.
If I were God, I would not have planned it that way… I would have a direct phone line from heaven… how about this parish… I would not trust me… how about home… God has trusted you to be the parents for your children… amazing how much God trusts us!!
This is not “Pope Francis is the holiest or smartest man…” God is able to write straight with crooked lines… do perfect things with imperfect human beings… does not call the qualified but qualifies the called!