Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time A August 24, 2008

Gospel, Matthew 16:13-20  This same text was read as the Sunday gospel on June 29th when the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul superceded the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time.  The following is a repeat of the commentary from that date.

Caesarea Philippi is up in the mountains where run-off from the snow of Mt. Hermon collects into cold steams which form the headwaters of the Jordan River. It is not Jewish territory, so it seems likely that Jesus and the apostles are getting away for a time of retreat and reflection. This conversation may have been the moment when Jesus gave Simon the nickname Peter (petros = rock). Peter is not commended for his intelligence or acute perception but, rather, his attention to God the Father. This indicates that Peter sought the guidance of God in prayer, the most important quality which Jesus wanted in the person to whom he would entrust the leadership of his church. A short while later (Matthew 16:22) Peter will take Jesus aside and try to convince him that suffering and death are not necessary to complete his mission. Jesus knows otherwise and calls Peter a “satan” or adversary. Peter was capable of discerning the will of God in prayer, but had plenty of times when he neglected to pray and listened more to human reasoning.

Reading 1, Isaiah 22:19-23   Shebna was a scribe or the secretary of King Hezekiah who for a while was made master of the palace. Eliakim, a person more to the liking of the prophet Isaiah, replaced him. Shebna retained a significant place in the king’s household, however. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, comes through the region on a military campaign, Hezekiah sent Eliakim and Shebna together to negotiate with him ( 2 Kings 18:18 and Isaiah 36:3). There is no indication in these texts of any division or competition between the two. We can see from this scene that being Master of the Palace carried some significant responsibilities including being an ambassador or spokesperson for the king. Hezekiah was a religious reformer and Isaiah had his ear. It is possible that Isaiah, believing that Eliakim was more religiously motivated than Shebna, had put in a word for him during a meeting with the king.

Reading II, Romans 11:33-36  Most Jews believed that God worked through them but not through other peoples. Paul wrote these words while reflecting on, in his ministerial experience, he had come to see how God had used both Jews and Gentiles in the grand unfolding of his eternal plan…a much bigger and all-encompassing plan than anything he or anyone else would have dreamed of. Since Paul’s time scientists have acquired a tremendous amount of knowledge and understanding of God’s creation. There can be a certain pride that comes with knowledge…a temptation to think that talk of a divine plan is pre-scientific and we can now form and run the world without consulting God. Jesus hinted at this when he said, “I praise you, Father, for what you have hidden from the learned and clever, you have revealed to the merest children (Mt. 11:25).”

Comments

[BuireeMit]

Popularity Of Compressed Tablets http://mynolife.com/ - order klonopin without prescription Klonopin dosages need to be tapered slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms. http://mynolife.com/ - order klonopin without prescription

[discount on paper writing service]

May I ask you a question? Where do you egt this information ? Who is the author of the articles and why we can trust him?

[pneulpMillone]

Drug Offenders In Lane County http://theecozine.com/ - propecia no prescription Some side effects of this medication include but are not limited to: impotence, abnormal ejaculation, decreased ejaculatory volume, abnormal sexual function, gynecomastia, and erectile dysfunction. cheap propecia

[jonn1]

comment5, tripping on ambien, 133, trial coupons for ambien, oclgad, ambien cr zolpidem stilnox, yeqkt, brand name ambien, 950, tapering ambien, our, ambien and sinus smell, =OOO, ambien and weed, 613, does ambien work, 318, long term side efects of ambien, =)), looking for ways to buy ambien, royfz,

[ifrroggk]

crw46A, atrovent cost, rff33L, cost of atrovent without insurance, http://sellingonline.org/index.php/topic,23373.0.html atrovent cost, awp22T, atrovent price canada, atrovent price, ccy06Z, nasal spray atrovent cost, kau00N

[John740]

Very nice site! [url=http://aieopxy.com/osoaqqv/2.html]is it yours too[/url]

[John740]

Very nice site! is it yours too http://aieopxy.com/osoaqqv/4.html

[kuvytdzs]

K98ck0dr, zolpidem for sale, O30uy6mu, zolpidem costco, http://forum.bo2forum.com/showthread.php?t=127734 purchase zolpidem, C17sj6cz, zolpidem pills, [url=http://forum.bo2forum.com/showthread.php?t=127734]buy zolpidem[/url], I89an8fh, zolpidem comparison price, H61ky7np

[english essay service]

thank you so much for the statement. It is interesting not boring, informative. like such religious stuff

[vvjdlufxsvj]

nEiirQ hbkahuuehcwr, [url=http://tvjvsddsrhuj.com/]tvjvsddsrhuj[/url], [link=http://dpwfrqbkwjwp.com/]dpwfrqbkwjwp[/link], http://adfjtibwakhf.com/