21st Sunday in Ordinary Time year A,23/08/2020

We have been journeying with Mathew the Evangelist, who has been telling us the story of Jesus and the reign of God that he came to establish. Using different skills, Mathew, pictures the faith of the disciples especially, Peter, as faith that requires going deeper. For instance, the parables of the weed and darnel, hidden treasure, the Sower and others, have brought us closer to the understanding of the disciples’ faith, our faith, and the intention of Jesus. At this point in the story, this Sunday, Mathew exposes the disciples’ faith as a shallow one. We know a few weeks ago when the courageous faith of Peter was tested, he became afraid and lost the focus, and began to sink. Nonetheless, God has chosen the weaker Peter to become the rock, build his faith community, and deepen their faith in God. Wait a minute! What unfathomable wisdom and knowledge of God as Paul in the second reading acknowledges?

Like Peter whom the first reading appears to foretell his choosing, the Lord chooses us. He gives us the authority to uplift those sinking in the sea of life and help them sink into the deep sea of faith and choice. How can we do this? When we choose to love, forgive, and show mercy, the Lord will continually be revealed in the church and in our world and as the Psalmist appreciates his merciful love and faithfulness, we too shall appreciate our loving and forgiving parish community. Moreover, the Lord will continually build his faith community of loving, forgiving, and merciful Christian disciples in his wisdom through our community leaders who govern us and unite us in a single purpose. Besides that, the Gospel reveals a God whose choice of the very human Peter shows that the wisdom of God is unfathomable. God builds on the faith of the ordinary person like Peter, like us. Therefore, helping us to appreciate that, our faith too can be deepened allowing us to proclaim, along with Peter, “Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God”

Christian Action this week: Help someone to sink deep in faith and become a rock for Jesus. Make that person discover that he/she is chosen by God to become a rock and not useless. Forgive that person you carried in your heart- make it lose!