Daily Readings - Sun Aug 23 2020

¹⁵Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts: Go forth and enter to him who lives in the tabernacle, to Shebna, who is in charge of the temple, and you shall say to him¹⁹And I will expel you from your station, and I will depose you from your ministry²⁰And this shall be in that day: I will call my servant Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah²¹And I will clothe him with your vestment, and I will strengthen him with your belt, and I will give your authority to his hand. And he shall be like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah²²And I will place the key of the house of David upon his shoulder. And when he opens, no one will close. And when he closes, no one will open²³And I will fasten him like a peg in a trustworthy place. And he will be upon a throne of glory in the house of his father

Romans

Chapter 11

³³Oh, the depths of the richness of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable are his ways³⁴For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor³⁵Or who first gave to him, so that repayment would be owed³⁶For from him, and through him, and in him are all things. To him is glory, for all eternity. Amen

Matthew

Chapter 16

¹³Then Jesus went into parts of Caesarea Philippi. And he questioned his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?¹⁴And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, still others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.¹⁵Jesus said to them, "But who do you say that I am?¹⁶Simon Peter responded by saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.¹⁷And in response, Jesus said to him: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven¹⁸And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it¹⁹And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound, even in heaven. And whatever you shall release on earth shall be released, even in heaven.²⁰Then he instructed his disciples that they should tell no one that he is Jesus the Christ

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of divine authority, faith, and the mystery of God’s ways. In the first reading from Isaiah, we see a dramatic shift in leadership as God removes Shebna, who has become complacent and unworthy of his role, and replaces him with Eliakim, a humble and faithful servant. This passage emphasizes God’s sovereignty and His ability to raise up leaders who will serve His people with integrity and love. The second reading from Romans is a hymn of praise to the unfathomable wisdom and knowledge of God. St. Paul marvels at the mystery of God’s ways, acknowledging that His judgments are beyond human comprehension and that all things come from Him and return to Him. This passage calls us to humility and trust in God’s providence. In the Gospel, Jesus asks His disciples a pivotal question: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter, filled with faith and guided by the Father, confesses Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus then entrusts Peter with the keys of the kingdom, symbolizing the authority to bind and loose, and establishes him as the rock upon which the Church will be built. These readings are deeply connected. Isaiah’s prophecy about Eliakim, a faithful steward, foreshadows the role of Peter as the steward of the Church. Both Eliakim and Peter are called to serve God’s people with humility and fidelity. The passage from Romans reminds us that God’s ways are beyond our understanding, but we can trust in His wisdom and providence. This trust is precisely what Peter exhibits when he confesses Jesus as the Messiah. His faith is not based on human reasoning but on the revelation of the Father. In this way, the readings invite us to surrender our limited understanding and to place our faith in God’s plan, just as Peter did. In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to reflect on our own faith and trust in God. Like Peter, we are called to confess Jesus as the center of our lives, even when the world around us is uncertain. We are also reminded that leadership and authority are not about power but about serving others with humility and love. As we navigate the complexities of life, let us turn to God with the same trust and faith that Peter showed. May we, like Eliakim and Peter, be faithful stewards of the gifts and responsibilities God has entrusted to us. And may we always remember that the wisdom and ways of God are far greater than anything we can comprehend.