Homily: Twenty-First Sunday of Year A
A God of Surprise and Giver of Keys for Responsibilities
v Isa
22:19-23
v Ps
138:1-3, 6, 8
v Rom
11:33-36
v Matt
16:13-20
Many
of us do not like to be surprised, except with anniversary gifts. But our God is
a God of surprises. To be surprised implies that we have surrendered at least some
of our autonomy. It means events have taken place in which we have had little or
no control, only trust in God. Many such events abound in our lives. In those moments,
God is at work. He creates and recreates. He admonishes sinners and welcomes the
repentant. He can make kings and has the power too to bring kings down. He promotes
and demotes. He changes suffering into joy, failure into success, illness into good
health, and death into life. We see this truth in today’s Bible lessons. The Lord
entrusted us with the keys to join in building the kingdom.
In
the first reading (Isa 22:19-23), there is a contrast drawn between two court officials
during the time of Hezekiah. They were Shebna and Eliakim. Shebna was irresponsible,
building a tomb for himself; he was faithless, abusive, unstable, pompous, and selfish
(Isa 22:1-18). As a result he was deposed from his office (Isa 22:19) as were
done to many Israel’s bad Judges and Kings. Surprisingly, God replaces him with
Eliakim, whom he calls his servant (Isa 22:20). Eliakim is a father to the people
(Isa 22:21), dependable, and solid like a peg. What a surprise, this contrast
between Shebna and Eliakim! We are invited to be servants of God and of one another.
Above
all, during prayer we are challenged to believe in a God of surprises. He surprises
us through others and through daily events and circumstances. Some of these
circumstances may initially look ugly. But don’t lose the mystery of hope. Saint
Paul emphasizes the surprising nature of God in the second reading (Rom 11:33-36)
when he says: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom 11:33).
Similar
divine surprises occur in Matthew’s Gospel today. Who would have thought that the
same denying Peter of the Passion Week would get the correct answer when Christ
asked, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt 16:13). Surprisingly, ahead
of the other disciples, Peter got it. He professed Christ as the Son of the living
God (Matt 16:16). As a result—and like Eliakim, who was given the symbolic keys
to the house of David in the first reading (Isa 22:23)—Peter is divinely entrusted
with the responsibility to lead, love, forgive, and preach faith and hope. He is
pastorally blessed and confirmed as the rock upon which Christ’s church shall be
built (Matt 16:18-19).
Each
of us has role to play in using the keys entrusted to us by God for the service
of God and our neighbors. We are to be a rock and a pillar for one another,
especially in this time of corona virus! Keys, rocks and pillars, what a
symbolic imageries!
Metaphorically,
in rural Africa, families use rocks for multiple purposes. They use rocks to crack
or produce kernels (from palms), which they sell for their economic livelihood.
Rocks are also used in most cultures for homes, offices, roads, or bridge construction.
They are used to support and sustain nations and society. In another sense, they
are used to build bridges of unity, forgiveness, reconciliation, ecumenism, interreligious
dialogue, cultural dialogue, and peace, which is so needed today in our world.
When
we experience war, terrorism, tragedy, civil unrest, and other forms of disorientation,
including this ongoing covid-19 pandemic, we often succumb to the fallacy that God
is not really interested in our affairs and concerns. We may feel that we are not
persons, only numbers in a gigantic universe. Like Peter and his successors—including
Pope Francis—we are encouraged to trust in God. We are invited to be our neighbor’s
and planet’s rock of hope and support. We are called to be the rock, keys, and pillars
for our neighbors—the poor, the immigrant, the rejected, the homeless, the voiceless,
the sick, the needy, and the suffering.
Reflection Questions:
1.
Do you relate most to Shebna, Eliakim, or Peter in today’ readings?
2.
How have you been using your keys and your assigned responsibilities to foster dialogue
and unity, protect the planet and family values, and to love and empower the poor
and marginalized of your faith community?
3.
Name one or two ways you have used the pillars and the rocks of your gifts to give
glory and thanks to God’s name.
