21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 1
Ps 138:1–2, 2–3, 6, 8
Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
1st Reading: Is 22:19–23
You will be deposed, strongman. I will hurl you down from where you are.
On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah.
I will clothe him with your robe, I will strengthen him with your girdle, I will give him your authority, and he will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the people of Judah.
Upon his shoulder I will place the key of the house of David: what he opens, no one shall shut; what he shuts, no one shall open.
I will fasten him like a peg in a sure spot, and he will be a seat of honor in the house of his father.
2nd Reading: Rom 11:33–36
How deep are the riches, the wisdom and knowledge of God! His decisions cannot be explained, nor his ways understood! Who has ever known God’s thoughts? Who has ever been his adviser? Who has given him something first, so that God had to repay him? For everything comes from him, has been made by him and has to return to him. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
Gospel: Mt 16:13–20
After that, Jesus came to Cae¬sarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They said, “For some of them, you are John the Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.
And now I say to you: You are Peter; and on this Rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the king¬dom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”
Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Source: rp1.abs-cbnnews.com/daily-gospel/08/23/14/gospel-august-24-2014-sunday
Reflections and Discussion
There’s a priest who ask to the seminarians, “What is the thing that I can do that the Lord God cannot do?” The seminarians are shocked because they think the priest praising his own self. The priest replied “The thing that I can do that God cannot do is to find more greater, knowledgeable and more holy than Him. I can find better than me, but God cannot find better than him.” Based on the 2nd reading, even though we knew many things, it is still nothing comparing to the Lord.
How can we say that we love a person? There’s a difference in liking than loving a person. We cannot say we really love a person if we don’t know them. Because of modern technology, many just courting and communicating using their phones and sometimes only using social networking sites. There was I time when I’m listening to radio and I heard a beautiful song. The lyrics said that I will love even the bad things in you. You can only say that if you really knew the person. Let’s go back to the Gospel. The apostles were asked who Jesus is. They said that He is John the Baptist, for others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. If we were the one to be asked, who is Jesus? In life, many people have always something to say about us. For example, before you are rich with many businesses. These businesses fell down a bit; they will immediately say that you are now getting poor. Before you help others because you are rich and help others. When you go down and not help them again, they will now say that you greedy. Because others wear some fashionable clothes, others will already judge them with high standards and choosy. The point or reflection is, if what they say about you is not true, don’t get hurt. Sometimes they see something on you; they think that you are already like that. We should not judge the book by its cover. What are we going to do about this now? Do your best to show them what is the real you. There’s an addict with drugs with your family members, others will already think that all of you are addict with drugs. We should know everything first before judging that person. Another is can we still remember the birthdays and important anniversaries of your family? It is important that they only knew us but we should also know others, what they like, what they don’t and what makes them happy.
