{"id":9604,"date":"2023-09-03T11:41:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-03T15:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=9604"},"modified":"2023-09-03T11:41:03","modified_gmt":"2023-09-03T15:41:03","slug":"22nd-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-homily-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/22nd-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-homily-4\/","title":{"rendered":"22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

22nd<\/sup> Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A<\/a>
Jeremiah 20:7-9
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (2b)
Romans 12:1-2
Matthew 16:21-27
September 3, 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week<\/a> we heard Peter proclaim to Jesus, \u201cYou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter got that right.  Jesus knows Peter\u2019s proclamation is based on revelation from God to Peter.  Jesus then makes Peter first among the Apostles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a good day for Peter.  Well, a good moment anyway.  It didn\u2019t take long before Peter slipped up again. Today\u2019s gospel scene immediately follows last week\u2019s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus began to teach his disciples about his coming Passion.  He told them how \u201cHe must go to Jerusalem<\/em>\u201d where He will \u201csuffer greatly.<\/em>\u201d  He will be handed over by the chief priests and the scribes and be killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that Jesus \u201cmust go to Jerusalem<\/em>\u201d would not have been a surprise.  That\u2019s where Jews went for religious events and it has been the capital of Israel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It probably also won\u2019t have been a big surprise that the chief priests and scribes would want to hand Jesus over.  They have already been trying to silence Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, for Jesus to say that He would \u201csuffer greatly\u2026and be killed<\/em>\u201d left the disciples confused and wondering how could this happen to the Christ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Peter\u2019s reaction?  He rebukes<\/u><\/em><\/strong> Jesus saying, \u201cGod forbid, Lord!  No such thing shall every happen to you.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t ask Jesus \u201cHow can this be?\u201d  He essentially told Jesus He was wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did Peter go from proclaiming Jesus as the Christ to rebuking him so quickly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The suffering of Jesus should not have been so shocking.  The Suffering Servant oracles in the Book of Isaiah speak of the one who suffers like Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did Peter get it wrong?  Because he was \u201cthinking not as God does, but as human beings do.<\/em>  He wanted a great earthly king.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People continue to rebuke Jesus today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who rebukes Jesus today?  Anyone who denies that there is truth rebukes Jesus as the way and the truth and the life<\/em>.  Anyone who teaches behavior contrary to what Jesus taught rebukes him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People had been acting against God\u2019s teaching long before Jesus became incarnate in the flesh.  Many of the prophets faced persecution from those who did not want to follow God\u2019s Will.  Jeremiah was one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeremiah faced ridicule and persecution for the messages he delivered from God.  Jeremiah felt duped.  Surely God would have known how the people would react!  Why did God tell to prophesize when God would have known that the people would make Jeremiah \u201can object of laughter<\/em>\u201d and mock him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking the \u201cword of the LORD<\/em>” brought Jeremiah \u201cderision and reproach.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever felt like someone laughs at you for believing in God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever had anyone say, \u201cHow can you believe that stuff in the Bible?  No one believes that anymore.\u201d  Are you tempted to keep silent about our faith to avoid \u201cderision and reproach<\/em>\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeremiah attempts to speak no more of God.  However, \u201cthen it becomes like fire burning in my heart<\/em>\u201d and he grows \u201cweary holding it in.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The people did not like what Jeremiah said.  They tried to silence him.  What they did not do was try to prove him wrong.  They disagreed but they did not make an argument against what God had taught. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think the same is true today.  People who reject God\u2019s truth are becoming more and more vocal and tell us to be silent.  What I do not hear from them is a convincing<\/u><\/em><\/strong> argument from their side.  In fact, sometimes I think they don\u2019t provide any argument.  They just say people must be free to choose for themselves.  I say to be free to choose, one needs to know what their choices are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are here because our souls thirst for God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do our lips glorify the Lord in speaking his Truth or do we try to save our life by keeping silent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus tells us, \u201cWhoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We deny ourselves when we stop acting only for our own immediate pleasure.  We take up our crosses when we willingly accept suffering in the name of the Lord.  We follow him when we live as Jesus teaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you willing to offer your earthly life as a \u201cliving sacrifice<\/em>\u201d to God?  We make ourselves a \u201cliving sacrifice<\/em>\u201d when we give up earthly desires so that we may follow Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you follow Jesus\u2019 ways or do you choose to conform yourself to current worldly thinking?  Here lies what might be one of our greatest challenges today as a church.  In becoming silent to avoid \u201cderision and reproach<\/em>\u201d God\u2019s Word is not heard.  If people do not hear God\u2019s Word, they cannot follow it.  Then, the people conform themselves to the present worldly thinking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need a renewal of faith.  The world should not dictate our faith.  It is our faith that should shape the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you rebuke God\u2019s teaching or do you accept your Cross, \u201coffering your bodies as a living sacrifice<\/em>\u201d?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AJeremiah 20:7-9Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (2b)Romans 12:1-2Matthew 16:21-27September 3, 2023 Last week we heard Peter proclaim to Jesus, \u201cYou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.\u201d Peter got that right.  Jesus knows Peter\u2019s proclamation is based on revelation from God to Peter.  Jesus then makes Peter …<\/p>\n

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