21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Isaiah 22:19—23

SECOND READING
Romans 11:33—36

GOSPEL
Matthew 16:13—20

THEME: POWER TO THE RIGHTEOUS ONE.

In one autonomous community that I know very well. One year when election was fast approaching, one of their sons who was contesting for governorship asked the king of the community what they were lacking then so that he will do it for them. The king after thinking told him that his palace chairs are old. The people of that community overthrew him overnight and made another person king immediately for he was not representing them well. Why this story? Continue Reading..................

In the first reading, the Lord was talking through the mouth of prophet Isaiah how he will make a change of government. He will give the person who knows how to rule the mantle of leadership. Ochichi ka mma n' onye odoro anya. There will be change of power from Shebna to Eliakim. If a child bites his/her mother’s breast while suckling it, his/her mouth will be removed immediately. The Igbos always say, onye churu onwe ya n' ugbo, asikwala n' ugbo erighi ya.. Shebna through his behaviours made himself to loose the position of a leader and Eliakim through also his behaviour gained the position of a leader. Righteousness is the only criterion for leadership in the presence of God.

St. Paul in the second reading is telling us to focus on God and do what he has given us as his commandments. He tells us that God has everything and we cannot advice him, we cannot lend him anything. Our job is to follow him and act according to his rules.

It is not flesh and blood that revealed this to you Peter but the spirit of my father, this was the answer received from Jesus after the perfect answer Peter gave on the identity of Jesus. My question here is, can God reveal himself to one who is not righteous? Before giving my suggested answer, let me try and explain the type of righteousness I mean. The type of righteousness I mean here is not a man without a stain of sin, rather a man who has little stains of sin and is making effort to clean it and never to fall into it again. One who is making sincere effort to live a holy life but due to the fallibility nature of man falls sometimes but rises immediately. Remember, steps forward after the Gospel, we shall see where Peter failed and our Lord Jesus called him Satan. He rose up immediately and Lord made him his successor. My suggested answer is NO, God is perfect and he works through those who work towards perfection.

The wise among the Jews thought that everything about heaven will be for them, but the Lord gave Peter the key today because they were not up and doing. We may think as Catholics that heaven is ours and not make sincere effort and it will be given to another. Or we may think that we Christians are already in heaven and do not make necessary efforts and it will be given to pagans and Muslims. Peter was righteous and the key of the kingdom was given to him, Eliakim was righteous and the power to rule was also given to him. Let us be righteous in our different fields of life so that necessary graces attached to them will reach us in full. In our families, work places, in the Church, in the market, in our villages, communities, towns, and to the whole world. Righteousness exults a nation (Ezi ndu n' ebuli mba elu). Sin is a reproach to many nation. So, let us go for righteousness and throw away sin and it shall be well with us. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.