Twenty-first Sunday   August 21, 2011

Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm: 138  Romans 11:33-36  Matthew 16:13-20 

1. We look at the unrest in the world today, the Spring uprising and now Summer uprising in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Syria. These have been autocracies that have been in power for 30 odd years. Then we have democracies – Britain, Canada, America, Germany, France, Greece etc.

In nearly all these places, the very people that voted their leaders, now find their leaders either unsuitable or failing to live up to the promises they made. We get what we deserve, since we voted the Presidents and Prime Ministers into leadership. In our first reading, the Prime Minister, Shebna falls short of his mandate, but it is the Lord God who will replace him, not the vote of the people. The rule of Shebna is not an autocracy. It is not a democracy. It is a theocracy. God puts or removes those who are to lead the chosen people: The Jews.

2. For the last three weeks, Paul has spoken of the unique place of Jews in the History of Salvation. Our spiritual life consists of reflecting on God’s plan for our salvation.  We look to theologians to articulate for us our salvation history. However we must remember that as humans, God’s ways will always have something that is inscrutable, something that is will always be mysterious.

       No matter how famous the theologian,

       no matter how refined the language,

       no matter how well honed the expression and vocabulary,

No theologian can claim to know the mind of God. No theology can claim to be absolute. It is always growing in understanding, knowledge and wonder. When we buy food, or look at the warranty on cars, computers etc, we check the “due date”. There is also a “due date” on theology. It is something alive and it grows. “What is good enough for Moses is good enough for me” does not hold any longer. 

(the story may be added here.)

Our Theology, our reflection in the Church on God’s Salvific Plan will be expressed

in our prayer,

in our rituals,

in our worship.

As members of the Church our proper response in our prayer, in our spiritual life will be the magnificent praise or doxology with which Paul ends his letter: “from him, through him, to him all things owe their existence – and so to Him we must give glory continually.”

3.  In the Gospel we seem to have a floor plan of our Salvation. The signposts of our Salvation are in the Promises made to Peter and the rest of the Apostles. Scripture Scholars commonly agree that the Gospel has taken two events, which took place at different times and different places and joined them into one narrative.

 Peter’s act of faith took place at Banias, which is near ancient city of Caesarea Philippi. It is located at the foot of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights. The city was located within the region known as the "Panion" (the region of the Greek god Pan).

This act of faith was made during the Public Ministry of Jesus, before the Resurrection.  These springs are the source of the waters of the Sea of Galilee.

 The Promise  of the keys and the Power to forgive took place most likely after the Resurrection at one of the encounters with the Risen Christ. Some scholars place it at the time of the miraculous catch of 153 fish, when Jesus “made breakfast” for his Apostles.

Promises of Christ:

1.      Building of the Church on the foundation of Peter.

2.      Confirmation that Hell will not prevail against the Church

3.      Promise of the Keys

4.      Binding and loosing the gates of forgiveness

 As you can imagine, the Catholic belief is that the Powers of the Keys, and the Power to loose and bind belongs to Peter, and his successors, the Papacy. These have all and the ultimate power.

 For the Protestants, Peter’s role is the foundation of the church. It was the person of Peter, not his faith that received this mandate. But the mandate was “valid for one occasion” – for that time and purpose. The role of forgiveness was given to the whole community, and those officials, whom the community might from time to time designate to forgive.

 The Anglicans believe that these two powers were given to the Episcopacy - College of Bishops, with the Bishop of Rome having a special prime place. But Peter could and would make mistakes, and it was up to the leadership to correct him or the situation. Paul would do precisely this when Peter vacillated in his behaviour towards the Gentiles, when the Jews were present.

  When we recite the Nicene Creed, we say, “I believe in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.” Our Gospel Story today is precisely everything we say in that article of the Creed. May our Act of faith be inspired as the one made by Peter. May it be confirmed by the Gift of the Spirit.

Story: Blessed Humphrey Pritchard was a  barman at the Catherine Wheel pub in Oxford. He was executed on 5 July 1589 during the wave of persecutions. Most of those who were executed were priests and monks. Humphrey Pritchard was one of the few laypeople, who were executed.

 At his trial, university men taunted him for his ignorance; Pritchard said he died for being a Catholic. One of the university students jeered that he couldn’t explain what that meant.

 Blessed Humphrey, unlettered and unsophisticated, replied with immortal dignity, ‘What I cannot say in words I will seal with my blood.’