August 23rd 2020. The Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time

GOSPEL: Matthew 16, 13-20

Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini broadcast on Vatican Radio

 

Don Fabio’s homily follows the Gospel

 

GOSPEL: Matthew 16, 13-20

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and

he asked his disciples,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,

still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply,

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

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.

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.

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.”

Then he strictly ordered his disciples

to tell no one that he was the Christ.

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

​

1. The location in which Jesus asked his disciples to make their profession of faith was an area dedicated to idolatry. Christians are always asked to testify to their faith in the midst of idolatry!

In the Gospel for this Sunday, we encounter Peter's famous declaration of faith. This declaration takes place in today's Banias, which, in the past, was the location of three sanctuaries dedicated to the worship of Canaanite, Greek, and Roman gods. It was essentially an open-air Pantheon. Jesus brings his disciples there and asks them to acknowledge his identity in the midst of idolatry. The faith is professed in the face of such idol worship. The Christianity of the martyrs will manifest itself in every era, particularly in unfamiliar and hostile places. At the heart of the site lies the Canaanite cult—a cave with an eerie appearance, where a spring would emerge and then settle before reappearing downstream. It's important to note that in recent years, the spring seems to have sunk even deeper, although it was active not long ago. Let us pass over the scant details of the Canaanite cult, which involved the sacrificial offering of children, sons, as human sacrifices into a rocky crevice, symbolizing the Underworld, the realm of death. This is why Jesus addresses this issue. Jesus initiates this dialogue to test their perception of his identity, which becomes a trial for his disciples, leading to the insightful response from Saint Peter.

 

2. Peter’s name is changed. He becomes the foundation of the faith for others. Every Christian is a priest by virtue of baptism and is called to be a foundation that conduces to the Father.

The unfolding discourse revolves around the identities of Jesus and Simon. What lies in between? Names in the Bible often relate to lineage, and Simon, Jonah's son, affirms that Jesus is the Son of the living God. Because of this recognition, Simon's name is permanently changed and he becomes a foundation for the faith of many others. The term "rock" in this context is intriguing. Saint John Paul II, in his earlier reflections, suggested that becoming a "rock" means becoming a pathway for others to reach Christ—a foundation in the true sense, and then as Pontiff, meaning a bridge. Every Christian, as a priest through baptism, is called to be a foundation, a stepping stone, for the faith of others—a conduit towards the Father.

 

3. Why does Jesus take the disciples to Banias? To show them that what saves us from the gates of hell is fundamentally an act of God. Christs builds the Church upon Peter, but it is an act of God. We cooperate with God’s work, becoming a conduit for it, but our guarantee is the power of God.

However, this understanding of Christ, which comes solely from the Father's revelation, as Jesus states, "flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven," is also fundamentally an act of God within us. "Upon this Rock, I will build my church." It is Christ who builds the church; it is God's work, not our own. We cooperate with the divine work within us, becoming a conduit for God's work. This church possesses a unique attribute expressed by the phrase: "The powers of Hell shall not prevail against it." In the new precise translation, the Greek text reads: "The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it," implying that it's not the powers but the gates of Hell that are at issue. In the original text, the struggle occurs at the gates of Hell in Banias—a dreadful mouth of nothingness that seems to devour everything and evokes fear and idolatry. Those gates will not withstand; the church will indeed rescue people from death and free them from darkness. This is how the Eastern tradition depicts resurrection: Christ pulling Adam and Eve out of the dark mouth of Hell. Peter recognizes Christ because the Father reveals him. This isn't Peter's own invention; he, as the son of Jonah, is a gift from God. Knowing the Lord means knowing the way to rescue humanity from darkness. Understanding Christ implies knowing what saves us from Hell. Knowing Christ is not merely an intellectual comprehension; it's an experience of liberation. Otherwise, the reason for going to Banias to make this profession of faith wouldn't be clear.

“In the Stars the Glory of His Eyes – Tales from an Irish Tour Guide in Rome”

FROM IGNATIUS PRESS

Tales of unexpected blessings, hilarious true stories, unique perspectives on the lives of the saints. An original, entertaining and orthodox presentation of the Catholic faith. You won’t be able to put it down!

"Captivating."

— Elizabeth Lev, Professor of Art History, Rome.

“Entertaining.”

— Cardinal Seán Brady, Ireland.

"I laughed out loud many times, and told the stories to others who laughed just as hard."

— Sally Read, Author.

"Enchanting."

— Bishop Brendan Leahy, Diocese of Limerick.

"Unique and insightful."

— Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly, Cashel and Emly.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL: Matthew 15:21-28   

________________________________________________________________

   

Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini broadcast on Vatican Radio

 

GOSPEL: Matthew 15:21-28       

Jesus left Genesaret and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting,

‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.‘

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him.

‘Give her what she wants,’ they said ‘because she is shouting after us.’

He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel’.

But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’

He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs’.

She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table’.

Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’

And from that moment her daughter was well again.

The Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

1. Why is Jesus so tough with the Canaanite woman? The pagan culture at the time of the early Church needed to be abandoned in order to receive the newness of the Holy Spirit.

In this Sunday's Gospel, we encounter a portrayal of Jesus that is devoid of sentimentality and kindness. Instead, he appears stern and somewhat distant. Interestingly, the disciples come across as more compassionate than he does. A distressed mother approaches, seeking his assistance, yet Jesus doesn't even address her with a word. The disciples urge him to listen to her plea, and Jesus responds with a statement that cuts sharply: "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But why does Jesus adopt this demeanour? What's behind his toughness? It's crucial to remember that the early church was evangelising in a world that took pride in its pagan culture. It might have been tempting for the pagans to believe that their beliefs weren’t so different from the beliefs of Christianity. This, however, isn’t the case. The Redemption brought by Christ demands baptism, the abandonment of the old self for love, in order to receive the newness that only the Holy Spirit can provide. Entering this new nature isn't about repairing human nature; it's about renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh.

 

2. By acknowledging her own poverty, the woman opens the door to grace.

The text of this Sunday recounts the Faith of a Canaanite woman who boldly acknowledges her own poverty. She disassociates herself from her Pagan background and displays an act of humility that opens the doors to grace, suddenly bestowed upon her by Christ. She acknowledges her unworthiness and embraces her foreign status, referring to herself as a "gentile," a term that carries a sense of being Pagan in the Hebrew tradition. This is the path to grace—through recognizing our own poverty. Those who have learned to be merciful are able to recall the day they saw themselves as dogs, as undeserving human beings. Notably, even figures like Peter and Paul went through this, admitting to their betrayals and wrongdoings. This Canaanite woman humbly requests a scrap she knows she doesn't merit. And she is well aware of this fact. And that's the essence of it. The most profound faith resides in the humblest of hearts. By practising the art of remembering the times when we felt like dogs, we can contemplate God's patience with us and find many reasons to exercise patience with others, as we too were loved without deserving it. This constitutes the highest form of faith. The greatest faith finds its home in the tiniest and most unpretentious of hearts. This woman stands before Jesus' seemingly stern demeanour. Often, God appears tough with us, seemingly uttering a "no." However, these refusals are invitations to adopt a more mature perspective, fostering growth.

 

3. An educator doesn’t just reward but also admonishes. The journey to faith for this woman begins with Jesus’ “no”.

An educator doesn't solely rely on rewards; they also offer guidance and know when to refuse, set limits, and provide boundaries. If we, as parents, only ever indulge our children's requests, we become ineffective parents, and our children remain immature. Here, Jesus reveals himself to this woman as a guide, leading her to a truth—her own poverty. If we want to have profound faith, we must first recognise our own poverty. The reward will eventually come, and indeed, great faith will transpire. However, the journey to this great faith begins with accepting Jesus' initial "no." There are times when we need to learn how to pray. Beyond God's apparent deafness, beyond the outward sense of detachment that God might exhibit, we ask for things and it seems that God is responding with a "No," asserting that we don't deserve them and won't receive them. Yet, we must persist in asking, because God wants us to truly engage with the questions we pose. Let's not be individuals who merely recite prayers mechanically, as is often the case with formal prayers. We may ask for things, but our hearts might be distant from the very things we seek. Frequently, a "no" becomes the path that leads to a truer question, with God’s denial prompting us to ponder whether we genuinely desire what we’re asking for. This is the faith we're summoned to embrace, the faith that the early church had to encounter while evangelising among the Pagans.

 

4.  Embracing the faith is not just a sprinkle of holy water. It involves purification and trials. This Gospel contains the entirety of Christian initiation, the necessity of acknowledging one’s poverty and need of grace

Back in the first century, there existed many Hellenists, who took pride in their magnificent and illustrious culture. They might have believed that Christianity was merely an adaptation of their philosophy. Unfortunately, a similar misconception prevails today. Often, we assume that embracing someone in faith merely involves a sprinkle of holy water and a baptism. Yet, baptism signifies a process of dying and rising, a journey of purification that often involves many trials. We should recognize that within these few lines of the Gospel lies the entirety of Christian initiation, the complete process of acknowledging the old self, recognizing oneself as less than human, akin to dogs, and the necessity of being rescued by grace, by God's generosity, to enter a new nature—the nature of full and complete humanity, the nature revealed to us through Christ.

“In the Stars the Glory of His Eyes – Tales from an Irish Tour Guide in Rome”

FROM IGNATIUS PRESS

Tales of unexpected blessings, hilarious true stories, unique perspectives on the lives of the saints. An original, entertaining and orthodox presentation of the Catholic faith. You won’t be able to put it down!

"Captivating."

— Elizabeth Lev, Professor of Art History, Rome.

“Entertaining.”

— Cardinal Seán Brady, Ireland.

"I laughed out loud many times, and told the stories to others who laughed just as hard."

— Sally Read, Author.

"Enchanting."

— Bishop Brendan Leahy, Diocese of Limerick.

"Unique and insightful."

— Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly, Cashel and Emly.