In today's Gospel, Peter, given the responsibility of leading the Church in last week's Gospel reading, is chastised by Jesus for his lack of understanding. Just as described in today's passage from Romans, Peter is too "conformed to his age" to recognize the will of God. Jesus emphasizes that the will of God is self-sacrifice. If we wish to follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. Jesus is not speaking metaphorically. Like Jesus, and like Peter (eventually), we must be willing to die for God. Paul too describes the necessity of self-sacrifice. Instead of offering animal or grain sacrifices to God, Christians are to offer their entire lives as sacrifice. Every single act and every single thought is thus offered to God. While Paul's instruction might not require our own deaths, it certainly does not preclude it. We are, thus, called to die to ourselves, to our own wills, and to all that separates us from living in the covenant, which may, in the end, require martyrdom.
Jeremiah offers us a description of what this might mean. In standing against society, we are bound to become objects of laughter and mockery, derision and reproach. Is this not the societal fate of those who dare to critique the status quo in words and actions? Death to our will often means death to our reputation. Psalm 63 offers guidance here. In thirsting for God, in clinging to Him, we shall be upheld.
In today's first reading we hear of the imminent dismissal of
Shebna, master of the palace, or chief steward of the royal
household. He would have had the great responsibility of both
entrance and exit from Jerusalem. Shebna was removed from his
position because he abused his authority. The subsequent
installation of Eliakim provides clear context for today's
Gospel reading.
In Isaiah God appoints Eliakim. In Matthew God, in the person of
Jesus, appoints Peter. Both are given the same responsibilities,
Eliakim to the House of David, Peter to the House of the Son of
David. Peter is, thus, made the chief steward of the Church, a
role that is continued by the Pope and our Bishops. We too share
in this ministry to the degree that we are leaders of our
communities.
The second reading crucially illustrates the connection between
today's readings from Isaiah and Matthew: "Who has known the
mind of the Lord or who has been His counselor? Or who has given
the Lord anything that he may be repaid?" These two rhetorical
questions clarify that God does not need His stewards to
substitute their wisdom or will for His. Church leaders of all
degrees of authority, ourselves included, must be vigilant
against abusing their authority, lest the fate of Shebna be ours
also.
Today's Gospel presents us with a harsh image of Jesus, who calls the woman, begging on behalf of her daughter, a dog. The key to understanding the nature of Jesus' reaction deals fundamentally with the status of Israel as the chosen people of God. The Old Testament describes in detail the relationship between God and Israel. At God's initiative, they are in covenant with each other forever: God is Israel's God; and Israel is God's people. Notice the absence of reference to Gentiles in this framework!
Isaiah, however, proclaims a message of hope that non-Jews might also be saved. This is especially good news for us. Isaiah indicates that "foreigners who join themselves to the Lord… and hold to [His] covenant" are acceptable before God. In this way Gentiles enter into the covenant. Our model par excellence in this endeavor is the Canaanite woman of today's Gospel reading. As a non-Jew, she is, decidedly, outside of the fold (as Jesus' comments indicate). Nonetheless, she comes, as a Gentile on Jewish soil, to the God of Israel in the person of Jesus, the Jew. She addresses him as "Lord," and prays to him using the language of the Jewish prayer book, the psalms. Because of her persistent prayer, and her faith in Jesus to answer these prayers, her requests are heard. By placing ourselves at the mercy of God in Christ, we hope that we might participate in the covenant. This is the reason by which we hope, in the words of the psalmist, that God might "have pity on us and bless us [and] let his face shine upon us."
Matthew describes the miracle of Jesus calming the storm in today's Gospel, along with the miracle of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. This passage is often read in a rational, scientific, light: Jesus merely appeared to be walking on the water, but was actually walking where the water wasn't deep. To paraphrase scripture scholar Raymond Brown, it is this type of explanation that is shallow, not the water on which Jesus walked. To focus on the possibility of these miracles is to miss their importance. Similarly, however, to treat these miracles simply as demonstrations of Jesus' power is to minimize their significance. Instead, we need to look to their importance to the Gospel narrative.
In the first place, within the context of the first reading, we can see how Jesus is revealed as God. In 1 Kings, God is shown as a whispering sound amidst the power of nature. In today's Gospel Jesus uses classic Old Testament language ("It is I") to make himself known in the midst of a storm. Thus, we know God in the person of Christ. Second, Matthew uses this event to indicate the role of faith. Peter shares in the power of Christ as long as his faith remains strong. When, however, the "littleness" becomes apparent, Peter begins to drown. Peter is a consolation to us, for our own faith is often small like his. And yet, we find hope in knowing that Christ will save us when we call out despite the size of our faith, saving us just as he saved Peter.
