Twenty First Sunday of the Year:A: August 23, 2020

THE TRUE IDENTITY OF JESUS

First Reading: Isaiah 22: 19-23

Second Reading: Romans 11: 36-37

Gospel Reading: Matthew 16: 13-20

   * First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah assures the people of Israel that the Lord God will remove the corrupt official Shebna who did not take care of the chosen people of God. In his place the Lord God will appoint Eliakim who will take fatherly care of the people of Jerusalem and of Judah. He will rule the people with fairness and justice. Thus the Lord God will bring justice to His chosen people. 

   * Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul tells the Christian community in Rome and all of us about the inscrutable mystery of God - that He is the creator and the Lord of all that exists. We humans with all our wisdom and human understanding are very much limited. We cannot comprehend or understand the wisdom of God. 

"Who  do you say that I am?"

Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. Jesus reveals His true identity during His conversation with His disciples. Jesus puts two questions to His disciples. The first question was, "Who do men say that I am?" He was interested to know from His disciples the various opinions  people had about Him. The answers as expressed by the disciples consist the following: They said, "Some say you are John the Baptist (who has come back to life) or Prophet Elijah or Prophet Jeremiah or one the prophets of old. Hence the perception of the people were limited to the understanding of Jesus as a prophet or as a man of God. Then Jesus puts a second question, a very personal one to His disciples. "Who do you say that I am?" It is a very searching question. Peter immediately speaks up and confesses. "You are the Christ, the Son God." Impressed by this answer Jesus praises Peter and tells him then and there that this confession of faith is something extraordinary and it is a revelation from the heavenly Father. Jesus further adds that Peter will be made the head of the future Church and he is the rock on which He will build His Church. Today Jesus puts the same question to each one of us: "Who do you say that I am?" As He converses with us we could think of the faith journeys we had in our lives. Perhaps the image of Jesus in our early stages in life have undergone tremendous transformation. Perhaps as the years have gone by, our faith experiences of Jesus have deepened and strengthened. Maybe we could also share our faith experiences with others as the Apostles did. They transmitted their faith experiences to the future generations.

"There are so many religions and each one has its different ways of following God. I follow Christ: Jesus is my God." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

"I see Jesus in every human being." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.