Reliance

August 24: Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time:

Isaiah 22:19-23; Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20

Thoughts to help us surrender to Jesus expressing himself through us in ministry.

Reliance

“You are the Christ…. You are Peter.” Matthew 16:16

Jesus ties together his identification and Peter’s: “You are… You are.” This isn’t accidental: Peter will only understand his identity as pope by seeing it together with Jesus’ identity as Messiah. Peter is neither lord over nor savior of the Church; he is simply the foundation of human weakness that keeps us conscious of our need for the strengthening power of God. By choosing weak, impetuous, overconfident Simon to be Peter (“rock”), Jesus showed he wasn’t building his Church on human wisdom, talent or virtue.

The Gospels show Simon as a leader, yes, but make a point of showing he was only right twice (Matthew 16:16; John 6:68). He was wrong every other time he opened his mouth: when he rejected Jesus’ way of saving the world, misunderstood the transfiguration, presumed Jesus paid the temple tax, protested he would never deny Jesus, objected to Jesus washing his feet, slept during Jesus’ agony in the garden, and cut off Malchus’ ear (Matthew 16:16,22; 17:4,25; 26:35,40; John 16:22; 18:10).

Peter walked on water by faith, then almost drowned by doubting. John delightedly reports Peter could not run as fast or see as well as himself. And if we just go by Scripture, Simon the fisherman never caught a fish without divine intervention! (Matthew 14:20; 17:27; Luke 5:5; John 20: 4,7; 21:3).

Relying on yourself in ministry is being more Catholic than the pope.

PRAY: “Jesus, help me!”

PRACTICE: Never trust in yourself.