Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

I want to thank Fr. Magnano for inviting me to be with you as you celebrate the 7^thanniversary of the Parish of Christ our Hope. I have very much enjoyed these past 10 weeks in the Archdiocese of Seattle and the opportunity to visit different parishes and ministries.  It is a particular joy to be with you both for your anniversary weekend and also to experience the unique ministry that takes place at Christ our Hope. 

I also want to extend the personal greetings and good wishes of Archbishop Sartain and Bishop Elizondo whom I represent here today.

Today’s Gospel reading offers a beautiful challenge to us as disciples.  We are all familiar with this passage in which Jesus inquires, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” There were a variety of opinions about who Jesus might be, but none of them were necessarily true. Finally, Jesus poses the question as an address to the disciples themselves when He asks, “Who do you say that I am?” That is a personal and decisive moment of faith. It is no longer a matter of public opinion about what others are saying; now it is whom the disciples themselves believe Jesus to be. It is in the midst of that confusion of faith and diverse opinions that Peter clarifies what is true and trustworthy as he confesses Jesus to be “the Christ, the Son of the Living God”.

Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question wasn’t the end of that conversation of faith. Rather, it was really just the beginning. In response to that correct answer of faith, Jesus does two things. First, our Lord changes his name of “Simon” to “Peter” (Rock). Second, Jesus gives Peter a role in the life of the Church. This dynamic is teaching us important insights for our own discipleship. The first insight teaches us that every conversation of faith in which we come to know and confess Jesus more clearly should change us as well. When we profess Jesus as Lord, we are acknowledging that we are His subjects and not the subjects of any temporal authority or worldly power. When we profess Jesus as Savior, we are acknowledging ourselves as sinners who need a deliverance and redemption from the oppressive forces of sin that enslave and deceive us. When we profess Jesus as creator, we are acknowledging that everything we are is a gift from Him, even life itself, and that we are only stewards of the many blessings God has entrusted to us. When we profess Jesus to be the Good Shepherd, we are acknowledging that we are His sheep and that we willingly refuse to follow anyone else who tries to lead us astray. The important point is this — anything we say about Jesus changes us because of our relationship to Him. The beauty of prayer is that we come to know ourselves more clearly as we come to know Jesus more clearly.

The second insight is revealed when Jesus gives Peter a distinctive role and ministry in the life of the Church. Specifically, Jesus assigns Peter the role of being the Chief Steward as the one who holds the keys to the Kingdom. He is also to be the one who “binds and looses”, which was a term used to describe the authentic interpretation of the scriptures and the setting of guidelines for the community of faith. In short, Peter’s confession of faith with Jesus ended up giving Peter both a new identity and a new mission.  Peter will live out his relationship with Jesus in his ministry to the Body of Christ, the Church. The same commissioning is meant to happen to us as well every time we deepen our relationship of love and faith in the Lord. We all have a ministry in the Church – the place where we serve the Body of Christ as a member of the Body of Christ. If we are sitting on the sidelines watching “Church” happen but are not involved in it, then we haven’t been listening very well in our prayer. God has a mission for each of us in the work of the Gospel. There are no spare parts on the Body of Christ!  We might say, “To know Jesus is to work for Jesus.” If our faith is only a matter of intellectual assent or emotional feeling or of community membership but not active engagement in the work of the Gospel serving the Body of Christ, then we have not yet discovered the fullness of relationship to which Jesus is calling us. It is only when our faith motivates us to mission that we can be confident of the authenticity of our encounter with the Lord. The externally manifested change of both identity and ministry are the true signs of authentic religious experience.

As you celebrate your 7^th Anniversary of Christ Our Hope, I am mindful of the many ways in which your confession of faith has inspired you to carry out great ministries serving Christ in others.  One of the reasons so many people are drawn to your community is because of the clear mission which you witness both in the Josephinum and in other areas of downtown Seattle.  

I do not know what God will call you to in the future, but I encourage you to continue your conversation with the Lord and let him guide you, let him change you, let him challenge you, let him lead to new and ever more profound ministries manifesting His love for the world. 

I hope to be with you again as you celebrate future anniversaries and to hear of where your conversation of praying faith takes you.  In the meantime, know of my prayers for you and of my continued interest in and support of your ministry in downtown Seattle.  

Bishop Mueggenborg