Something you may not know. Before a deacon reads the Gospel at Mass, the priest gives him a quiet blessing. The deacon asks, “Your blessing, Father.” The priest prays:
“May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Matthew 16:13-20)
HOT KEYS!
We have all had that little panic moment when we say, “Where are my keys?” Keys matter because they protect what is valuable—our homes, cars, and keepsakes. We guard them carefully and only give them to people we trust. Here are the KEY words in today’s readings, keys represent trust, faith, and responsibility. God takes the keys from those who abuse and use power selfishly and gives them to those who will serve Him and bless others.
Theme: Trust, Faith, and Responsibility
Today’s message is simple and there is a bridge from the 1st Reading to the Gospel regarding trust, faith and responsibility: God entrusts His work to faithful people. In the first reading, authority is taken from Shebna, who misused it, and gave it to Eliakim, a trustworthy servant. In the Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus gives Peter the keys of the Kingdom because Peter recognizes Him as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
The keys are a sign of God’s trust. They are not about privilege or personal gain; they are about service. Peter receives them because of his faith — and God also trusts each of us with gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities.
Why is trust important? Trust is at the heart of our relationship with God. Just as Jesus trusted Peter with an important mission, God trusts us to use our gifts well — at home, with friends, in our parish, and even with strangers we meet. When we trust in God, we can serve with humility, courage, and love.
In the Gospel, Jesus brings His disciples to Caesarea Philippi, about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee. It is a Pagen area, a quiet place for teaching, but also a region filled with 14 magnificent temples dedicated to pagan gods, as well as a lavish white marble temple dedicated to the worship of the emperor Caesar. Try to visualize that for a moment — and against that background, Jesus asks a question that matters deeply: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
The disciples answer that some think Jesus is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. These are all respected people, but that’s just it, they are all human beings. So, Jesus says to himself – nice try but not good enough, try again and makes the question more personal: “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answers with faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus blesses Peter and tells him that this truth was revealed by the Father. Then Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom of heaven, a sign of responsibility, leadership, and service in the Church.
So, what is the takeaway? God trusts us with responsibility. When we trust Him and use our gifts to serve others, we become faithful stewards of His Kingdom.
A few final thoughts can be derived from Peter’s profession and our Lord’s reply. The ‘keys to the kingdom of heaven’ signify responsibility as a master over the king’s house: authority over governance of the Church in matters of faith, morals, and dogma, including her Sacraments and the formation in holiness of God’s people. Peter was called to serve and lead, and the Church continues that mission today.
After Peter’s death by crucifixion, the first-century Church acted on Jesus’ words by selecting Peter’s successor, Linus (67 to 76 AD), and the unbroken line of succession continues to the present day, with an American Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
Jesus now asks us the same question: “Who do you say that I am?” We answer not only with words, but with the way we live. In our own lives, we may not receive literal keys, but God gives each of us — people to love — work to do — and faith to share – and by doing so, we receive our own spiritual keys to His Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Matthew 13: 44-53 (Cycle A)
So, where exactly is the Kingdom of Heaven?
But first, I want to share a story I read article from the Texas State Historical Association about a man named George William Strake. George was orphaned at age seven in St. Louis. He worked hard and earned the chance to study at a good university. After college, he served in the Army Air Corps during World War I and then went to Mexico to learn about the oil business made some money and then went to Cuba and lost almost everything he had. In 1929, the beginning of the Great Depression, he moved to Houston, his wife Susan’s hometown with little money but great hope. From his experience in Mexico and Cuba, he had learned to recognize the surface formations that often pointed to oil beneath the ground. So, he began driving on the back roads of East Texas, searching for those signs.
After about a year, while following a creek-bed outside Conroe, Texas he found the formation he had been looking for. At great risk to his family, he sold nearly everything they had to buy the land. The risk paid off: two wells eventually struck oil, and over time he became one of the wealthiest oilmen in Texas, as well as a generous donor to Catholic causes. One such cause was in the 1940’s he funded the excavations buried underneath St. Peter’s Basilica where St. Peter’s tomb and bones were believed to be unearthed. He also supported Catholic hospitals and schools and the Boy Scouts. These are just a few examples of George’s generosity particularly to Catholic causes.
Some might say George was simply lucky, and certainly circumstances helped. But in a deeper sense, he made his luck by cultivating three qualities:
- He desired a treasure that could support his family and help him do good;
- He knew how to recognize the signs that would lead to it; and
- He was willing to sacrifice everything to obtain it.
Jesus calls us to those same qualities in today’s parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price.
In the first parable, a poor laborer discovers treasure buried in a field. In ancient Palestine, people often hid valuables in the ground because there were no banks as we know them today. But anything found in a field belonged to the owner of the field, not to the one who found it. That is why the man sells all he has to buy the field. What he gives up seems small compared with what he knows he will gain as did George.
In the second parable, a merchant searches for fine pearls until he finds one of unsurpassable value. Once he recognizes its worth, he sells everything he has to obtain it. Both men see a treasure so great that no sacrifice appears too costly.
These parables teach us the same three lessons.
- First, Jesus wants us to desire the kingdom of heaven as our greatest treasure.
- Second, he wants us to know where to seek it and how to recognize it.
- Third, he wants us to be willing to sacrifice whatever keeps us from possessing it. If we are not prepared to give everything for the treasure, we will often struggle to give even a little.
That leaves us with these questions. Do we truly desire the kingdom? Do we know where to find it? And are we willing to sacrifice what is necessary to receive it? So, let me provide some help to answer those questions.
The best place to make that choice is here at Mass. St. John Vianney taught that before the Eucharist we are like someone dying of thirst beside a river, needing only to bend down and drink, or like a poor person beside a treasure chest, needing only to reach out. The Eucharist is that treasure, because Christ himself is the pearl of great price. Let us ask God the Father for the wisdom and courage to choose his Son Jesus above all else, so that we may share the joy of those who find the treasure and gladly give everything to possess it.
The Kingdom of God is not a geographical area, like a political or military kingdom, but a spiritual area, so to speak. So, back to our question – Where is the kingdom of God? In the one and only prayer Jesus gave us, the Lord’s Prayer, he says “Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So, we can conclude that kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven, is wherever God’s will is done here on earth as it is in heaven. So, my brothers & sisters, — The kingdom of God is present wherever God is, in Jesus Christ and in the hearts of believers.
13th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Matthew 10:37-42 Cycle A
Did You Find Jesus’ Words Today Difficult To Hear & Maybe a Bit Harsh?
Many of Jesus’ teachings and demands are intense and incredibly challenging to accept. Jesus did not shy away from confronting hard truths, calling for radical self-denial, and setting impossibly high standards for his followers. Today’s challenging words are all about the cost of discipleship and radical surrender. At first glance, His language sounds insensitive and at odds with His overwhelming message of love and peace.
But wait, Jesus is not encouraging conflict. Instead, He is preparing His disciples and us for the reality that His coming makes people have to choose. Choose between what they are familiar with, like listening to the Pharisees and Scribes, who appear perfectly holy on the outside, but are filled with hypocrisy and spiritual decay on the inside — or Jesus’ presence which reveals the true condition of the heart. And the people respond differently – some will believe in Him, while others will reject Him. God gave us this free will to choose.
To help us understand further, I want to focus on a couple specific verses. The first verse: “Anyone who loves their father or mother… son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Here Jesus is speaking about what the 1st Commandant requires. It requires us to love, trust, and respect God above all else. Jesus is not calling us to hate our families. No no, He is teaching that He must hold 1st Place in our hearts. Following Him may bring division, but our devotion to God must remain greater than even our deepest family relationships.
Jesus teaches that loyalty to Him must come before every other relationship, including the closest family ties. This does not mean that family is unimportant or that believers are called to neglect those they love. Rather, He makes clear that no earthly bond can take the place of what belongs to God alone. Did you ever ask yourself – Why am I here? Let’s not forget what Jesus said to his disciples during the Last Supper. “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go”. When devotion to Christ and devotion to family come into conflict, we — as a disciples of Christ, which we all are, we must choose Christ because he chose us.
OK so, let’s move on to the next verse: “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it…” WOW! Pretty Powerful – Jesus is calling for radical, total commitment, emphasizing that we have to surrender our own ego, our own agendas — to truly experience spiritual life. This is the challenge of our discipleship.
To “take up your cross” means to be willing to suffer for your faith and die to your “old self” – What is our old self? Our selfish desires, personal ambitions, and worldly ego. Our worldly egos are entirely focused on material success, social status, and external validation. It ties our core identity to temporary things like wealth, reputation, and physical appearance, rather than our deeper, internal character. — In ancient Roman, carrying a cross meant a person was walking to their own execution. Jesus uses this as a metaphor for complete, voluntary surrender to God. Surrendering our worldly egos and selfish desires.
Now, what did Jesus mean in stating Losing Your Life to Find It. This contrast explores two different definitions of “life”:
- 1st “Finding” (Saving) your life: If we try to control our own destiny, live only for worldly pleasures, and put our selfish desires first, we will ultimately end up spiritually empty.
- 2nd Losing” your life: If we willingly let go of our self-rule and dedicate our lives to Jesus and His teachings, we lose the temporary, superficial version of ourselves but gain an eternal and truly meaningful life.
Ultimately, today’s Gospel verses are about priorities: putting God first requires letting go of worldly comforts and self-centered living.
Finally, Verses 40-42 state“…whoever gives the cup of cold water to one of these little ones… they will certainly not lose their reward.” Here Jesus is talking about Hospitality and Heavenly Rewards. Jesus concludes His teaching by elevating the value of community and service. Welcoming His followers is the same as welcoming Jesus himself. He assures us believers that even the smallest, most insignificant act of kindness — like offering a cup of water to the weary — is recognized by God and will be deeply rewarded.
So, in summary, today’s Gospel is all about the Cost and Reward of Discipleship. Discipleship requires letting go, but what is gained in Christ far outweighs what we surrendered. Following Jesus may involve sacrifice, yet the life found in Him is greater than anything that we give up.
These and other verses appear in Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve as He sends them out to proclaim the gospel. He prepares them and us 2000 years later for opposition, while also assuring them and us that faithfulness to Him is never empty or wasted. Remember, we all became disciples of Christ at our baptism.
Brothers & Sisters – Jesus is sending us out into the world to proclaim the Gospel. How? Through our daily actions and deeds, acts of kindness, performing corporal & spiritual works of mercy, and by the examples we set for our children. If we want them to walk with Jesus, we must walk with Jesus. That is how we should live our lives and teach them the faith. So, in the words of St Francis of Assisi — “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary”.