TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, August 23, 2026
(Isaiah 22:19-23; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20)
Today’s Gospel should be familiar to most Catholics. We see
it repeatedly as proof that the Lord chose the pope as the leader of the
Church. The establishment of the papacy is more complex than a single Gospel
passage can express, but Matthew 16:18 points in the right direction.
In the gospel, Jesus gives Simon more than a new name. He
bestows on him a momentous title. “Peter” comes from the Greek word petros,
meaning “rock.” Simon Peter is the rock upon which a solid church can be built.
Jesus says at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that the wise man builds his
house on rock (Matthew 7:24). Here he demonstrates his wisdom.
Jesus sees Simon as the foundation of his church for several
reasons. Above all, he cites Simon’s intimacy with God indicated by his having
received the revelation that Jesus is "the Messiah, the Son of the living
God." Furthermore, Simon has displayed several qualities necessary for a
leader. He speaks well; in fact, he serves as the spokesperson for the
disciples. In today's Gospel, when Jesus asks, "But what about you? Who do
you say I am?" it is Simon who gives the answer. Moreover, Simon acted
with confidence when he stepped onto the water, imitating the Lord (Matthew
14:28).
In the other Gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles, Simon demonstrates
other leadership qualities. In Luke, he is sensitive to Jesus’ imminent
suffering as he tells the Lord that he is ready to die for him. (Yes, the
remark is a boast; nevertheless, it is intended to support Jesus. In fact, Peter will eventually give his life
for him.) In the Gospel of John, Peter shows strong love for Jesus when the
risen Lord appears to his disciples on the beach. Perhaps more to the point, in
Acts, Simon Peter exhibits authority in different ways. He preaches dynamically, he heals numberless
times, and he makes decisions on behalf of the community.
What are the responsibilities of the Pope that require
rock-solid stability? Many could be listed, but let's limit ourselves to three.
First, the Pope must promote unity. From the beginning, the Church has lost whole
groups of members. The First Letter of John describes such a division. This
year, Pope Leo has been dialoging with the bishops of Germany and with the
Society of Saint Pius X to prevent them from putting themselves outside Church
authority. In addition, more recent
popes have been in constant discussion with the Orthodox and Protestants in the
hope of reconciliation.
The Pope must also ensure that Church doctrine does not fall
into error. In the First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul had to correct
those in the community who were denying the resurrection from the dead. There
are similar issues today that concern Pope Leo. They particularly concern moral
issues, but there are also dogmatic concerns. For example, many today believe erroneously
that in vitro fertilization is justified. One dogmatic issue that has
raised the concern of recent popes is how some theologians claim that Muslims,
Buddhists, and Hindus are saved without belief in Christ.
The most important responsibility of the Pope, because it
was Jesus' priority, is to maintain the Church as a community of charity. It is
insufficient for Catholics to attend Mass if they scoff at participating in
food drives. It is not enough for them to pay a tithe to their parish if they show
disdain for people of other races. Demonstrating fraternal love for those in
need, Pope Leo recently sent more than one hundred thousand euros to Venezuela
to help earthquake victims.
In every election of a new pope, we are reminded that the one
elected will not be the successor of the pope who just died, but of Peter. The
modern pope must show the qualities of the first one to recognize Jesus as
"the Messiah, the living son of God." He also must be willing to sacrifice himself
for Jesus’ flock.
