24th August 2008
Up to a number of years ago a very important milestone in a person's life was reaching the age of 21, the time they would be given the keys to the family home. Many people today have alarms on their homes, and often one has to name a couple of key holders to give to the alarm company in the event of not been there yourself. Basically to be given keys of any kind is a sign that you are a trustworthy person, someone who can be relied on. Peter and the other Apostles are given keys by Jesus in today's gospel reading, not physical keys as such but more importantly the keys to the Kingdom of heaven and the power that goes with them to bind and loosen.
Of all the New Testament Characters St Peter is the most real and vivid figure. He was a man who displayed such love and at the same time immense frailty of character. One day he could proclaim Jesus as the Christ the Son of the living God. Another day when the going got tough he said he did not know the Man. Yet Jesus chose him and gave him the name of Cephas, which means Rock. The Rock came good in the end and spent his life witnessing to all that Jesus said and did. We profess the faith today because of what he and his fellow Apostles went through in the early days of the Church.
The question Jesus asked his disciples 'who do you say I am', he repeats to us. Sunday after Sunday we recite the creed with some of the deepest Theological truths running off our lips. Jesus Christ is not just some groovy guy who preached about tolerance, he is no mere miracle worker; he is not just a famous character from history. He is as we will shortly proclaim, eternal Son of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God. He is God who became our brother when he allowed himself to be born of the Virgin Mary. So often at Mass we repeat almost by Rote words and phrases that we scarcely have even thought about. That question 'who do you say I am' can today give us the grace to ponder in our hearts what we proclaim with our lips. In the final line of the gospel we are told that he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone he was the Christ. Today, we are given other orders, to go and tell everyone that Jesus is the Christ not only with our words but by the Christian lives we lead. Amen.
|
 |
Homilies Archive
2009 HOMILIES
25th December 2008
Christmas
21st December 2008
14th December 2008
8th December 2008
Immaculate Conception
7th December 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
30th November 2008
1st Sunday of Advent
23rd November 2008
Christ the King
16th November 2008
2nd November 2008
All Souls
1st November 2008
All Saints
26th October 2008
12th October 2008
5th October 2008
28th September 2008
21st September 2008
14th September 2008
7th September 2008
31st August 2008
24th August 2008
17th August 2008
15th August 2008
Assumption
10th August 2008
3rd August 2008
20th July 2008
13th July 2008
29th June 2008
22nd June 2008
1st June 2008
23rd March 2008
Easter Sunday
22nd March 2008
Easter Vigil
2nd March 2008
24th February 2008
17th February 2008
10th February 2008
|
