During the week, I walked to the construction site and met some men from Ameren who were working to connect the gas line from the main pipe to our new parish hall. They were checking whether the pressure was sufficient. One of them, who was Catholic, asked me if I was the pastor. When I said yes, we began talking about the previous Sunday\u2019s Gospel. He told me that he especially liked the passage about Peter walking on the water because he admired Peter and the leadership role he played as the first Apostle.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s Gospel shows us the foundation of Peter\u2019s leadership. Jesus asks the disciples, \u201cBut who do you say that I am?\u201d Peter responds, \u201cYou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.\u201d This is a profound profession of faith. Faith opens our hearts to recognize who Jesus truly is. Because of Peter\u2019s confession, Jesus gives him a new mission: he will be the rock upon which Christ builds his Church.<\/p>\n
The first reading gives us another image of leadership. God removes Shebna and entrusts the responsibility to Eliakim. He gives him authority and places the key of the house of David upon his shoulder. The message is clear: authority is not simply a privilege; it is a responsibility entrusted by God for the good of others. This helps us understand Peter\u2019s role in the Gospel. Jesus gives Peter the \u201ckeys,\u201d not to make him powerful over others, but to make him a servant and shepherd of God\u2019s people. This applies to all of us who have been entrusted with responsibility\u2014parents, grandparents, teachers, employers, priests, and community leaders. Christian leadership is not about controlling others; it is about serving them, protecting them, and helping them grow.<\/p>\n
The second reading reminds us that, ultimately, everything comes from God: \u201cFor from him and through him and for him are all things.\u201d Paul is filled with wonder at the wisdom and greatness of God. This is important because sometimes we place too much confidence in human leaders, institutions, or even ourselves. Leaders can fail, disappoint us, and make mistakes. But our faith does not rest ultimately on any human person. It rests on God. As Paul reminds us, God\u2019s wisdom is deeper than ours, and his ways are beyond our understanding.<\/p>\n
Peter\u2019s leadership, however, was not based on perfection. Peter would later deny Jesus three times. Yet Jesus still chose him. This reminds us that the Church is not built on human strength or human perfection, but on Christ\u2019s faithfulness. The failures and weaknesses of Church leaders throughout history do not cancel Christ\u2019s promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church. The Pope, like Peter, is called to be a servant of Christ, never a substitute for Christ. Christ alone is the true foundation of the Church.<\/p>\n
Peter\u2019s story is also our story. We all have moments of courage and moments of weakness. We sometimes profess our faith boldly, and at other times we struggle or fall. Peter\u2019s failures humbled him and taught him to depend not on himself but on Christ. His relationship with Jesus transformed him into a humble and compassionate shepherd.<\/p>\n
The same is true for us. Christianity is not simply knowing about Jesus; it is knowing Jesus and living in a personal relationship with him. There is a difference between someone who speaks about love and someone who is truly in love. May our faith lead us beyond simply talking about Christ to knowing him, loving him, and following him each day. And may Christ, who remained faithful to Peter, strengthen us in our weaknesses and make us faithful witnesses of his love.<\/p>\n
Scripture Readings:<\/strong> During the week, I walked to the construction site and met some men from Ameren who were working to connect the gas line from the main pipe to our new parish hall. They were checking whether the pressure was sufficient. One of them, who was Catholic, asked me if I was the pastor. When I said yes, we began talking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weekly-homilies"],"yoast_head":"\n
Is 22:19\u201323 \u2022 Ps 138:1\u20132, 2\u20133, 6, 8 \u2022 Rom 11:33\u201336 \u2022 Mt 16:13\u201320<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"