Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Jesus said to Peter, “…you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 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” (Mt 16:19). That Jesus would entrust his church to a mere human person baffles me. That is why we believe that the church is both, human and divine, holy and sinful at the same time. Peter was a weak man. He did not want to carry the cross, talked too much and denied the Lord three times. However, Jesus chose Peter knowing that Peter was weak and promised him constant divine presence. Two thousand years later the church looks just like Peter. There are times the church does not want to carry the cross; there are times she does not walk the talk; there are times she denies the presence of the Lord through its actions. But the promise that Jesus made to Peter still holds good. It has been two thousand years and this parish community is a witness both to our weaknesses and the presence of Christ in and through us.

Peter's confession also had a community dimension to it. Jesus appointed Peter as the chief shepherd of his church. Similarly, our personal confession too has a community dimension.We are the church as much as the Church is us. We exist for the church as much as the Church exists for us.

Today, we must be aware both of the human nature of the church and divine presence it is infused with; we must be aware of our weaknesses and God’s promise. Today we must reflect on how our personal confession leads us to be of service to the community.

- Fr. Satish Joseph