×

HOW TO DONATE

1 Click on DONATE button.
2 Choose your PROGRAM
3 Choose your amount.

If you still have problems, please let us know, by sending an email to support@sjbny.org . Thank you!

CHURCH HOURS

Mon-Fri 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Sat - 9:00AM-5:00PM
CALL US: (212) 288-5082
  • SUPPORT

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste

The Church is the People of God sharing in Jesus’ ministry of preaching, teaching and healing.

T (212) 288-5082
Email: info@sjbny.org

Eglise St. Jean Baptist
Rectory Address: 184 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021

Open in Google Maps
  • ABOUT
    • Our History
    • Congregation of The Blessed Sacrament Fathers
    • Sisters of Congregation of Notre Dame
    • National Shrine of St. Anne
    • St Jean Baptiste High School
    • Parish Staff
    • Photo Gallery
    • Volunteering
    • Contact US
  • LITURGY
    • Baptism
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
    • Anointing
    • Funerals
    • Mass intentions
    • Prayer Group
  • EDUCATION
    • Info & Registration
    • Preparation for Sacraments
    • Adults Education
    • Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
    • Calendar
  • MUSIC
    • Music Director and Organist
    • The Choir
    • The organ
    • Concerts
  • COMMUNITY
    • Community Center
    • The Theatre at St. Jeans
    • Community Theatre Group
    • Senior citizen Wednesday lunch group
    • Applause
  • TODDLER PROGRAM
  • WATCH MASS
DONATE
  • Home
  • BLOG & STORIES
  • Church Reflections
  • TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, August 23, 2020
April 16, 2021

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, August 23, 2020

Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste
Sunday, 23 August 2020 / Published in Church Reflections

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, August 23, 2020

REFLECTION

ISAIAH 22:19-23. ROMANS 11:33-36 MATTHEW 16:33-36

T

he first scripture reading in the Sunday liturgy is chosen to compliment the Gospel passage. This week, it’s taken from the prophecy of Isaiah. It announces the downfall of Shebna, King Hezekiah’s comptroller. Isaiah tells him that he will soon be replaced by Eliakim. “I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.”

Today’s Gospel recounts Simon’s profession of faith in Jesus: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Because of his insight Jesus awarded him the keys to the kingdom of heaven and changed his name. “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church…I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The two accounts use the image of keys. Peter is given the keys to the king

dom because he’s a man of faith and recognizes the truth about Jesus; he is the Christ. Shebna has the keys of the palace taken from him because he’s corrupt.

Both accounts initiate a time of change. Simon, the loyal disciple and man of faith, has his name changed to Peter designating the new role he is to play in the kingdom. Shebna, the corrupt and grandiose comptroller of the palace who colluded with the Assyrians against Judah, will be divested of his position. The keys will be taken from him and given to Eliakim, an honest, loyal and virtuous man.

Both passages deal with revelations. Peter is revealed as the future leader of the Church who is given the power to forgive sin. Shebna is revealed as a thief and a traitor and will have his power taken from him and given to another.

Both of these passages aren’t difficult to understand. Shebna is deeply corrupt and pays the price for his treachery. Peter is a good man and receives a good man’s reward, the keys to the kingdom of God.

I could reflect on Peter as the rock. I could reflect on the power Peter was given to forgive sins. I could reflect on the nature of Shebna’s corruption – grandiosity, thievery and treason. But I find that, since the beginning of the pandemic in March, I’ve been tending to look at the scriptures in a different way. I look at them through the lens of prophecy because I think we’re in a prophetic moment. Sometimes prophecy comes through the voice of an oracle like Isaiah. Sometimes it comes through the interpretation of events or reading the signs of the times.

No one can ignore the epidemic that has turned our entire world upside down. Millions of people have fallen sick and hundreds of thousands have died. The economic impact of the pandemic has been devastating and is deepening. So many people are hurting. So many are questioning why this is

happening.

At least two things are happening. The pandemic is revealing the dark truth of our socio-economic-political dysfunction. Our healthcare system is showing its systemic inequality. Our national economic safety nets, like unemployment compensation and social security help just enough to keep the poor, poor. The pandemic is calling us to renew and revamp our social and economic structures. It’s revealing the impotency of our politics. It’s calling out our corruption. It’s giving us a chance to change.

At the same time it’s revealing our primary strength: the tenacity and selflessness of good people everywhere. Think of the multitude of our heroic front-line workers, the doctors and nurses, the EMS workers, the personal attendants, the postal workers, the train and bus personnel, the cleaners and janitors, the delivery persons, the supermarket workers, the meat packers, the teachers. They’re the rock our society is built upon and yet, tragically, many of them are the lowest paid workers in the nation.

The scriptures today speak of keys. In one case the keys to a new world were awarded to the man who saw the truth. In the other case the keys were taken away from a corrupt man who feels himself above the truth.

Looking at this moment in our history as a prophetic moment, I see the pandemic as a catalyst calling us to change and reform our society. There has been too much suffering in the world. It’s not the world God created. It’s the world we created. We’re being challenged to open our eyes to the truth – to be brave and courageous and to take all the political, economic and social steps necessary to make the world a better place for every person. Only then can the keys to the kingdom of light and truth be offered to us. Only then can we be awarded the keys to “a new heaven and a new earth.”

  • Tweet
Tagged under: ordinary time, pastor, reflection, sunday

What you can read next

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER MAY 10, 2020
TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OCTOBER 5-6, 2019
REFLECTION FOR THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS, November 1, 2020

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • EASTER SUNDAY, April 4, 2021

    REFLECTION ACTS 10:34A, 37-43 COLOSSIANS 3:1-4 ...
  • PALM SUNDAY, March 27, 2021

    REFLECTION ISAIAH 50:4-7 PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11 MAR...
  • FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT, March 20, 2021

    REFLECTION JEREMIAH 31:31-34 HEBREWS 5:7-9 JOHN...
  • FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT, March 14, 2021

    REFLECTION THE MAN WHO VISITED JESUS AT NIGHT 2...
  • THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT, March 7, 2021

    REFLECTION JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE EXODUS 20:...

Recent Comments

  • Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste on HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, January 3, 2021
  • Joanne Spuches on HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, January 3, 2021
  • Donna Szabo on SECOND EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 19, 2020

Archives

  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019

Categories

  • Church Reflections
  • Memorials

Featured Posts

  • EASTER SUNDAY, April 4, 2021

    0 comments
  • PALM SUNDAY, March 27, 2021

    0 comments
  • FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT, March 20, 2021

    0 comments

FOOTER MENU

  • DONATE
  • Our History

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

By subscribing to our mailing list you will always be updated with the latest news from us.

We never spam!

GET IN TOUCH

T (212) 288-5082
Email: info@sjbny.org

St Jean Baptiste Church
184 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021

Open in Google Maps

  • GET SOCIAL

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste © 2019 All rights reserved. Credits Gianluca Boccia.

TOP
CHURCH SCHEDULE OF MASSES

SCHEDULE OF MASSES
Weekday Schedule
Church opens at 11:30 AM
Mass at 12:00PM
Church closes at 1:00 PM

Saturday Schedule
Church opens at 11:30 AM
Mass at 12:00PM
Church closes at 1:00 PM
Church opens at 4:30 PM
Mass at 5:00 PM
Church closes at 6:00 PM

Sunday Schedule
Church opens at 8:30 AM
Mass at 9:00AM
Mass at 11:00 AM
Mass at 4:00 PM
Church closes at 5:00 PM

After the weekday and Saturday Masses until 1:00 PM and from Noon until 4:00PM on Sunday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.