Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

I’ll give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven

From the Gospel according to Saint Matthew

Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi and asked his disciples :  « Who is the Son of Man according to the sayings of men ? »  They answered, « Some say he is John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and some say Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus said to them, : « What do you say? Who do you think I am ? ». And Simon Peter answered and said, : « You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him, «   Blessed are you, Simon, son of Yonas : flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you, You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the power of death will not prevail over it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven : whatever you have bound on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you have loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven ». Then he commanded the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. « The Son of Man, who is he, according to what men say he is? And you, what do you say ? » (Mt 16, 13-20)

Homily of FATHER MARIE LANDRY C+MPS

Lord, today I go with you to Caesarea Philippi, in the far north of Galilee, with your disciples. I want to hear the question you asked them that day resound in my ears : « Who do you think I am ? Grant me, Lord, to know you in truth. » Today, Peter’s profession of faith at Caesarea Philippi begins the final stage of Jesus’ public ministry and prepares us for the decisive events of his death and resurrection. After the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, Jesus decides to retire for a while with his disciples to deepen their training. It is through his disciples that the seed of the Kingdom of Heaven begins to be revealed to the world, the Church.

Two Sundays ago, we heard how Peter, after walking on the water, began to sink and we heard Jesus’ reproach : « Man of little faith, why did you doubt? (Mt 14, 31). Today it turns into praise : « Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah » (Mt 16, 17). Peter is blessed because he opened his heart to divine revelation and recognized Jesus as the Son of God the Savior. Throughout history, the same question has been asked: « Who is the Son of Man according to what men say he is ?  And what do you say?  » (Matthew 16, 13-15). At one time or another we too have had to answer these questions: who is Jesus for me and what do I see in him ? From the faith received from our parents, catechists, priests, teachers, friends,… we pass to a personalized faith in Christ, and we become, in our turn, witnesses, because this is the center of the Christian faith.

It is only through our faith and our communion with Christ that we will defeat the powers of evil. The reign of death manifests itself in our midst, causing us suffering and prompting us to question ourselves; nevertheless, the Kingdom of Heaven also manifests itself among us by revealing to us hope; and the Church, which is the sacrament of the Kingdom of Heaven in the world, founded on the rock of the faith professed by Peter, gives birth in us to the hope and joy of eternal life. As long as there is humanity in the world, it will be necessary to give hope, and as long as it is necessary to give hope, the mission of the Church will be necessary; that is why the power of hell will never overcome it, since Christ, present in his people, guarantees it to us. Saint Peter, intercede for me so that my faith in the Son of the living God may be as sincere and solid as yours!  Amen

Additional information at

◊ Deacon Michel Houyoux : click here to read the article → Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A

 

Links to other Christian websites

◊ Angelus : click here to read the paper → Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

◊Young catholics : : click here to read the paper → 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A

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