Sunday
23 August 2026 – XXI Week in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Mass Readings:
Is 22:19-23 Ps
137 Rom 11:33-36 Mt 16:13-20
Key Verse to Meditate:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" (Mt 16:13).
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the
Lord,
This Sunday's liturgy beautifully links the divine
origin of earthly authority with our personal confession of faith. Moving from
God’s removal of a selfish official in Isaiah to Peter’s bold declaration in
Matthew, we are reminded that all power is a sacred trust meant for service,
not self-exaltation. Ultimately, these readings challenge us to surrender our
agendas to God's perfect wisdom and to answer Christ's most vital question:
"Who do you say that I am?"
First Reading: Is 22:19-23
In
Isaiah 22:19-23, God declares that He will remove a self-serving official named
Shebna from his high office and replace him with a faithful servant, Eliakim,
who will govern with a caring, fatherly heart for the people of Jerusalem. God
promises to place the absolute authority of the "key of the House of
David" on Eliakim's shoulder—meaning whatever he opens none shall shut,
and whatever he shuts none shall open—and to secure him like a strong peg
driven into a firm wall. Spiritually, this passage reminds us that any
authority, leadership, or influence we possess is merely entrusted to us by God
for the purpose of serving others, not for elevating ourselves. It challenges
us to examine how we use our own "keys" of influence in our homes,
workplaces, or communities, calling us to be dependable, humble stewards who
care for those entrusted to us, while ultimately placing our absolute trust in
Jesus Christ—the true and eternal holder of the key of David who opens the door
to our salvation.
Second Reading: Rom 11:33-36
In
Romans 11:33-36, the Apostle Paul concludes his complex reflection on God's
salvation plan by breaking into an awestruck hymn of praise celebrating the
infinite depth of God’s wisdom and knowledge. He declares that God's judgments
are unsearchable and His ways far beyond human comprehension, emphasizing that
no one can counsel the Creator or ever put Him in their debt, for God is the
absolute source, sustainer, and ultimate purpose of all creation. Spiritually,
this passage invites us to lay down our exhausting need to understand or
control everything and instead embrace a posture of profound humility. It
challenges us to trust God entirely during seasons of deep confusion or
hardship, remembering that since our lives come from Him and are sustained by Him,
our greatest peace is found when we surrender our own agendas and live simply
for His glory, resting securely in the mystery of His perfect, unfathomable
will.
The Gospel Reading - The Identity of Jesus and the
Service of Authority (Mt 16:13-20)
The
twenty-first Sunday of the year brings a beautiful passage from the Gospel of
Matthew concerning the identity of Jesus and the service of authority. The
question is posed to the disciples in the vicinity of the district of Caesarea
Philippi. The question was direct and to the point: "Who do people say
that the Son of Man is?" (Mt 16:13). They simply answered, "Some say
John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the
prophets." (Mt 16:14). We can imagine the perplexity of Herod when he
heard this type of common opinion alongside the miracles of Jesus: "King
Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, 'John
the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers
are at work in him.' But others said, 'It is Elijah.' And others said, 'It is a
prophet, like one of the prophets of old.' But when Herod heard of it, he said,
'John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.'" (Mk 6:14-16; Lk 9:7-9). They
were right to be perplexed. However, Jesus was not merely concerned about the
common opinion, but also about their individual belief regarding His person and
mission. Surely the disciples would not have expected this from their Master
and friend. He wanted their personal conviction: "But who do you say that
I am?" (Mt 16:15).
Profession
of Faith: You are the Messiah
Peter
spoke on behalf of the disciples: "Simon Peter answered, 'You are the
Messiah, the Son of the living God.'" (Mt 16:16). While commenting on
Peter's response, St. Cyril of Alexandria says that by calling Jesus the
"Son of the living God," Peter indicates that Christ Himself is life
and that death has no authority over Him; though He would undergo suffering and
death, He would certainly rise again on the third day. The ancient rabbis had a
saying that when God saw Abraham, He exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock
to found the world upon." We could say the same thing of Peter: When Jesus
found Peter, He exclaimed, "I have found the rock to build my Church
upon." Peter was the first apostle to profess Jesus as the Messiah. Faith
professed in Jesus made him eligible to be a rock for Jesus to build His
Church. Faith in Jesus Christ turns us into spiritual rocks and living stones
(1 Pet 2:5).
The
Son of the Living God
The
title "Son of the living God" is actually less common as a messianic
title in the Gospel of Matthew than the title "Son of David." The
Gospel begins like this: "An account of the genealogy of Jesus the
Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham." (Mt 1:1). Even the angel
addresses Joseph in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be
afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the
Holy Spirit." (Mt 1:20). After Jesus healed the demoniac who was blind and
mute, the people said, "Can this be the Son of David?" (Mt 12:22-23).
The two blind men cried out loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
(Mt 9:27) to get the healing attention of Jesus. Even the Canaanite woman cried
after Jesus, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is
tormented by a demon." (Mt 15:22). The title "The Son of God"
appears for the first time on the lips of the disciples in the episode of Jesus
walking on the water. When Jesus and Peter got back into the boat and the winds
stopped, they all worshipped Him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of
God." (Mt 14:33). Finally, after seeing the way Jesus died, the centurion
confessed, "Truly this man was God’s Son."
Jesus
Chose Peter
We
shall proceed to the reflection on today’s Gospel from Jesus's reply to Peter
after his confession of Him: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For
flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I
tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates
of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom
of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever
you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Mt 16:17-19). Jesus chose
this humble fisherman to be the rock on which He could build His Church. The
Gospel story of Peter receiving authority from Jesus reminds us that all
authority, whether it is secular or ecclesiastical, ultimately has its roots in
God. People in today’s society so deeply desire to be persons of authority and
influence in front of others. We, as religious people, are not an exception to
this rule. Sometimes the leadership roles given to us can lead us to make
erroneous judgments regarding our abilities, our path to power, and our
administration of that power. Once we are appointed to a position of power in
society, we can mistakenly think that the whole world is under our feet. Many
times, we fail to understand that the power of authority has a single source in
God.
Authority
in the First Reading and the Gospel
The
first reading from the prophet Isaiah speaks about the secular authority that
was given to Eliakim (the master of the palace – 2 Kgs 18:18) and Shebna (the
secretary to the king – 2 Kgs 18:18). We notice that these two contrasting
personalities appear both in the prophecies of Isaiah and in the books of Kings
(2 Kings 18:18, 26, 37; 19:2; Is 36:3, 11, 22; 37:2). Neither of them was a
king, but they acted as the king's emissaries. We could simply say that they
were officials of the royal palace. Shebna was a self-seeking official, and the
prophet reminded him that there was a higher source for his authority, namely
God. The prophet also warned him that the authority of God was going to remove
him from his position of privilege: "I will thrust you from your office,
and you will be pulled down from your post." (Is 22:19).
In
the Gospel reading, we see that Jesus gave power to Peter. But Jesus reminded
him that becoming the head of the Church was not due to his own intelligence,
but because it was ordained by God the Father. He predestined him for this
service of authority. The authority given to Peter is a perfect reflection of
the authority that was given to Eliakim in Isaiah’s prophecy: "I will
place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one
shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open." (Is 22:22). We need to
remember that it is God who empowers the one to whom He grants authority to
govern His people.
Points
for Personal Reflection
Today,
the Liturgy of the Word invites us to understand the place of God in every
authority we have been entrusted with. If we understand this truth, we can
become humbler instead of getting intoxicated by authority. Every position of
authority and leadership is a responsibility. Today's readings invite us to ask
ourselves questions regarding our positions of authority in the family, in our
religious communities, in our workplaces, and in our parishes. Recognize the
place of God in every authority you have and be humbled by it. Remember the
golden words of Jesus regarding leadership and servanthood: "and whoever
wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came
not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
(Mt 20:27-28).
What
is my humble confession of Jesus? Do I have an answer for Him when He asks,
"But who do you say that I am?" (Mt 16:15)?
