Welcome to our Bible Study

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time A

24 August 2014In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy

In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing

Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

1st reading: Isaiah 22:19-23 19 I will thrust you from your office and pull you

down from your station. 20 On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22 I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open. 23 I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family.

The focus is on authority.

1st reading: Isaiah 22:19-23 19 I will thrust you from

your office and pull you down from your station. 20 On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22 I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open. 23 I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family.

Commentary In v.19, God talks to Shebna (master of

the palace). God is removing him from office. He

says it in parallel form: I will thrust you // will pull you down.

In his place, he will call on Eliakim. V.20 Vv.21-23 enumerate what God will do to

Eliakim. V.21 talks about the investiture of the

new authority. I will clothe him with your robe I will gird him with your sash In parallel form, v.21b indicates Eliakim’s

role: the father of inhabitants of Jerusalem // to the house of Judah.

In v.22, Eliakim will receive the symbolic key of authority.

No one will go against him. V.23 indicates his tenure (fixed).

Eliakim: also referred to in Isaiah 36:3; he is described as loyal to God.

Refer to vv. 15-18• For hewing a tomb for himself up high• For carving a room for himself in the

rock. Parallelism again.

He is a self-serving servant.

Shebna is stripped off of his authority. His paraphernalia is taken away from him and transferred to Eliakim.

Reflections on the 1st reading

God does not allow his servants to serve themselves.

God abhors servants, who use their entrusted authority for their selfish interests.

God seeks their immediate replacement. Never forget the one who gave you authority

or you will be humiliated. To the loyal servant of God, he gives

permanent authority.

Resp. Ps. 138:1-2. 2-3. 6. 8 R. (8bc) Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work

of your hands.

1 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,for you have heard the words of my mouth;2 in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;I will worship at your holy temple.

2 I will give thanks to your name,because of your kindness and your truth:3 When I called, you answered me;you built up strength within me.

6 The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees,and the proud he knows from afar.8 Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;forsake not the work of your hands.

Resp. Ps. 138:1-2. 2-3. 6. 8 R. (8bc) Lord, your love is eternal;

do not forsake the work of your hands.

1 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,for you have heard the words of my mouth;2 in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;I will worship at your holy temple.

2 I will give thanks to your name,because of your kindness and your truth:3 When I called, you answered me;you built up strength within me.

6 The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees,and the proud he knows from afar.8 Your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;forsake not the work of your hands.

Commentary The psalm is a psalm of

thanksgiving. In vv.1 and 2, the psalmist

expresses his joy and thanksgiving. The reason: God has heard his

prayers. He will give thanks in different ways:

I will give thanks I will sing your praise I will worship at your Temple

V.2 repeats v.1. The psalmist is happy to experience

God’s kindness. V.3 repeats the reason in v.1:

God has answered his prayers. In v.6, the psalmist sees God as

high above, yet, looks at the lowly. V.8 adds more information on God’s

kindness: It endures forever

Reflections on the Psalm

Like the psalmist, we must be thankful to God.

God is ever kind to us. He listens to our prayers. We must express our thanksgiving to

him, not just in silent prayer. We sing, we participate, we lead in the

liturgy.

2nd reading: Romans 11:33-36

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?" 36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

The focus is on God’s mind.

Second Reading: Rom 11:33-36 Paul’s hymn to God’s mercy and wisdom

Deep amazement: Interjections 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and

knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!

Questionings !!! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has

been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?“

Doxology 36 For from him and through him and for him are all

things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

A simple outline!

Second Reading: Romans 11:33-36 Deep amazement:

Interjections 33 Oh, the depth of the

riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!

Questionings !!! 34 "For who has known

the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?“

Doxology 36 For from him and

through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Commentary In v.33, Paul expresses his feelings about

God’s Riches (very rich) Wisdom (very deep) Knowledge (very deep) Judgments (flawless) Ways (mysterious, untraceable)

In vv.34-35, Paul expresses his amazement, too, on God’s brilliance, integrity, and self-sufficiency, in the form of questionings. No one can know the mind (the reasoning)

of the Lord. No one can give him advice. No one can pay him back for his

goodness. V.36 is the highest outburst of Paul’s

sense of awe and wonder of God, who is unfathomable.

Here, Paul is like a psalmist.

Reflections on the 2nd reading

We cannot measure the wisdom of God. His way of dealing with us is deep. We cannot understand why God allows things

to happen and not to happen. We, who experience his greatness, cannot but

glorify him. Do you glorify God in the midst of your

questionings?

Gospel reading: Matt 16:13-20 13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea

Philippi 2 he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

The focus is on the authority of Peter.

Gospel reading: Matt 16:13-20Setting 13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi Jesus according to the people 2 he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

Jesus according to the apostles 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter

said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus gives authority to Peter 17 Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

A simple outline!

Gospel reading: Matt 16:13-20Setting 13 When Jesus went into

the region of Caesarea Philippi

Jesus according to the people

he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

Jesus according to the apostles

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Commentary V.13 provides the setting of Jesus’

questioning. As they go into this region of

Caesarea Philippi, he asks his disciples how they perceive him. Vv. 13b-15

How deep/shallow do the people know him?

How deep do the apostles know him?

At this point, it is important that Jesus’ true identity must be affirmed (for us or by us readers).

The people did not get him right. The apostles did. V.16

Gospel reading: Matt 16:13-20Jesus gives authority to

Peter 17 Jesus said to him in

reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

In v.17, Jesus affirms Peter and the source of his knowledge and revelation. It comes from the heavenly Father.

In vv.18-19, Jesus reveals his plan to build his church, with Peter as the leader.

The key is a symbol of authority. Peter’s authority is translated into

the binding and loosing of people on earth.

It recalls v.22 in the 1st reading, when Eliakim is given authority.

Peter’s authority will be respected in heaven.

V.20 closes with the Messianic secret. No one should know it yet.

Reflections on the gospel reading

Important for us, Christians, is to know who Jesus really is.

We cannot be true disciples if we don’t know Christ.

We cannot go on mission if we have a faint knowledge of Christ like the ordinary people, who mistakenly claim he is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Peter and the apostles can rightly go and evangelize the world (they have authority) because they have rightly identified Jesus. (They fully know Jesus when they believe he is risen from the dead.)

Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm

The first reading talks about being a loyal servant.

The psalm talks about being thankful to God.

The second reading talks about the greatness of God.

The gospel reading talks about authority of Peter in the church.

Let us focus our homilies or sharing on being servants of God.

How to develop your homily / sharing

Are you a church leader or a minister? The better title for you is servant-leader. These combined two words indicate your

vision and your responsibility to the community (church).

The readings describe what is to be a servant-leader.

The first reading says the servant-leader must not serve himself, but others.

He/she must not use his/her authority, position, prestige, power and resources for his/her own benefit or aggrandizement.

What happens if he/she is self-serving? God comes and fires him/her like Shebna. He is going to assign a loyal servant like

Eliakim. We need Eliakims in our churches.

The gospel reading talks about the servant leadership of Peter.

First, he knows whom he is following. “He is the Christ, the son of God.” He also knows where he is going. His knowledge is God-given, a revelation from the Father.

Second, because of his true knowledge of Jesus and his focus, Peter is tasked to be the “rock” (foundation) upon whom Jesus would build his church, a sturdy, durable and invincible one.

Third, Peter’s leadership consists in making correct judgment on who should be in the church and out. We, Catholics, believe that the authority of Peter is transferred to

his successors, the Popes.

In the second reading, St. Paul as a leader and founder of Christian communities expresses, in the form of interjections and rhetorical questions, his amazement of the greatness of God.

A leader should always be the first to lead the people to give praise and to glorify God (through our liturgies).

A leader has a sense of awe and wonder over God’s dealings with humanity, in spite of the latter’s shortcomings and failures to respond properly to God.

What kind of leaders do we have in our churches?

Are they self-serving? Do they have correct judgment and wisdom

in building our communities? Do they lead us to praise and glorify God?

The readings clearly tell us that those who are entitled to lead our communities should be loyal to God, not manipulators, who

scramble for places of honor, preserving their names, reserving their burial places (1st reading)

should be well catechized and are familiar with the word of God and the person of Jesus and respect higher authority (gospel).

should be community builders and are able to make all the members praise and glorify God. (2nd reading)

The readings are also addressed to government officials, elected or appointed.

In the eucharist, we pray that God may send us good and competent servant-leaders.

The eucharist is the food and sacrament of true and loyal leadership.

The reception of the eucharist is the goal of each Christian leadership and servanthood.

Our Context of Sin and Grace

False leaders False ministers Grandstanding in

meetings Divisive, unable to

animate members Unreliable, inefficient,

ineffective, no credibility Corrupt Unaccountable Self-serving

Leaders with a vision. They are competent,

have the technical know-how, have skills to manage.

Community organizers Good followers Informed, Formed,

Committed Leaders They have character They have conscience They seek the common

good.

Suggested Songs

Bayang Tinawag http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhzcbwbfMe8

You Are So Good http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spj_5sTiF5Y