22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Peter is the Rock on which Jesus our Saviour founded the Church to continue His saving work even after His Ascension into Heaven.  Peter in Sunday's Gospel Reading is now called a stumbling block, a rock which blocks the way, for he did not yet understand that for Jesus to fulfil His saving Work, must take up the Cross and be crucified so that all might climb through the Cross to Heaven with Him and the Father.  The Rock on which is founded the Church which saves is called a rock which is a stumbling block

The Cross, which during the Roman times was the worst punishment inflicted upon the worst criminal, is now transformed by Jesus' Crucifixion as the best stairway to Heaven.  While Peter would understand this later on in his life, himself being crucified as well, Jeremiah in Sunday's First Reading was, during his lamentation, was well on his way in understanding this seeming paradox.  When in the depths of his doubts and anxieties, he reached the bottom and kicked hard his way up in the realisation that it is precisely in these his pains and sufferings that he was serving God and not just a social cause nor just himself.  Jeremiah's lamentations would later on transform into songs of glory, praise and thanksgiving.

"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, follow me."

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus in Sunday's Gospel calls Peter Rock.  Peter is our sure foundation in good times and especially in bad.  How many times we see this in contemporary popes!  Pope Francis calls us and directs our attention to truly important matters, for example when, even if popular media had been ignoring the Iraq crisis of our persecuted Christian and non-Christian brethren, he calls us to pray and offer sacrifices precisely for them.  Another example is when the Holy Father challenges the Korean youth, and indeed the youth worldwide, to a spiritual life and not only to the material.

One practical translation of this to our daily lives is our dealings with our authorities.  They are put in place to help guide us in the right path and to avoid the traitorous misdirections of this world.  For priests there are the bishops.  For parishioners the parish priest.  In the familial, social and political settings we also have our authorities.  Sometimes it is not that easy to hear their voice and to put their admonitions into practice, especially during those times when we have our own opinions.  Of course we cannot follow what is blatantly immoral or sinful, but in cases wherein we see that the commands are really for good but we just cannot agree with the details and manners it is good to remember that people are put as authorities over us to serve as rocks of sure foundation.  It is also in faith that we say yes to our authorities and we obey.

Obey first ...

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Three times Jesus tested the faith of the Canaanite woman in Sunday's Gospel Matthew chapter 15.  Three times she persisted, each time even more earnest.  First He ignored her, she kept up her pleading.  Second, He seemed to deny her, she persisted in faith.  Third He called her with the epithet 'dog', a disparaging term for the non-Jew, still she countered with more faith than ever.  Her great faith saw her through and her prayers were answered.

There may come a time, we might have experienced this already or we may be presently in such a situation, wherein it seems that our prayers fall unto deaf ears.  Worse, it may seem that instead of what we are asking more and more obstacles come in the way hindering the fulfilment of our prayers.  Today's story of the Canaanite woman confirms in us in picturesque terms how, if the pleadings are not evil and these would be to our advantage, then the Lord in His time and in His way, will heed our call.

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.