21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Authority
You are ‘Rock,’ and on this rock I will build my church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail
against it. The Catholic Church has always looked up to today’s Gospel as the corner-
stone of the Petrine ministry, the special role played by the successor of Peter. Catho-
lics believe that the Bishop of Rome exercises a special authority over the church.

Authority within the context of the People of God is a special kind of authority. The
reading from Isaiah is about removal from office for abuse of authority and replace-
ment by someone who shall be a father.

The purpose of authority in the church, authority at any level, is not to control the
lives of others but rather to help us to seek the values that will bring us lasting joy in this
changing world.

Those with any authority in the church should reflect on their exercise of that author-
ity, and those under authority should reflect on their attitude to the leaders of the
church. All of us should join in praying that the Lord grant peace and unity to your
Church.

Gerald Darring

“For the nurturing and constant growth of

the People of God, the Lord instituted in His
Church a variety of ministries, which work
for the good of the whole body.

For those ministers who are endowed with

sacred power are servants of their brethren,
so that all who are of the People of God,
and therefore enjoy a true Christian dignity,
can work toward a common goal freely and
in an orderly way, and arrive at salvation.”
Vatican II, Constitution on the Church (1964) 18
August 24, 2008
Some καιρός / kairos thoughts…
καιρός / kairos—Greek—time—viewed as an occasion rather than an extent

all are
of
one piece

and that
what
cannot be

seen is all Prayer List

of Pray the rosary for world peace, Avis Cox, Fr. Clarence Biggers, Gladys and
Ben Kramkowski, Rita Moenk, Doug Bearden, Sarah Snider, Thornton/Lynch
one piece family, Ryan Amsberry, Annie & family, Connie, her mother & family, Blake,
Erik, Campbell family, Jonathan & family, Sharon & family, Will, FMS, Cap.
Corp., Patrick & Brittany, Broughman family, Fannie Crowder & family, VAL,
Father Ingram’s father & family, Karen’s mother, Cheryl Mobley & family,
and that William Hudson, Robert, Walter, Danielle, Christopher, Barbara, Katherine,
Nicholas, Kaylin, Kasie, Mary Beth & family, Mary Ann Mahoney & family,
who Donna & family, Ann Chancellor & family, Sheila & family, cancer patients &
families, military & families, Brandon, Plantation Villa residents, Don, Mrs.
Carpenter, Mr. & Mrs. Rooks, Katherine & family, Mr. Dunn, Mr. & Mrs.
sustains all Barlow, Jane & family, Scott & family, Diane & Peter, Michele & Gary, Lucy’s
father & family, Bobbie, Joan & family, Karl’s mother & family, June & family,
Tina & family, Belinda & family, OLM family, Kat, Delgratia & family, Mr.
Gomez & family, Sara’s mother, Dr. Lynch & family, Rob/Allie & family,
has hidden Chuck & family, Frank & family, Liesa & family, mother of Dr. Petros, Dr.
Issa & family, Odessa, Anita’s mother & family, Ruby, Ruby’s mother &
in family, Davies family, Katie & family, family of Angie, Ann & family, Gretchen
& family, Eileen, Scott & family, Robert, Flavia & family, Tony’s family, Roy &
Martha Wright, Roy, Alice Swygert, Alan, Nard, Tony, Glenda, Nelson, J. Bob,
earth dimension Munn, Vogt, Wolfe families, Russell & family, Ola, Gene Wilson & family,
Jane Brock & family, Janet Kramer & family, Elayne & family, Winnie, Phil &
family, Tony, Stan, Emily & family, Ruthie & Ed, Mr. Bergin & family, Russell
& family, Mrs. Sanseverino & family, CC Center, veterans & families Jessie
or so the Emmett, Mark, Michael’s mother, Carrie, VAMC, Rambo’s mother & family,
Josephine Mary, Mary Anna, S. Paul, Tony, J. W. Wilson & family, Jason &
heart may Kim, Josie, Kelly, Mickey’s family, Jon & Janet Cook & family, Karen’s cousin,
Mike Aguado & family, Carl & family, Dr. Lopez & family, Dr. Vanapalli &
perceive family, Dr. Nair & family, Garrett & family, family of Duffie, Aaron Christian,
Marina & family, Mitchell’s father & family, Estella’s mother & family, Kerry’s
anda Poem from liturgy.slu.edu mother & family, Gail & family, Beth & family, Bernard, Anna & family, Sara
Lucas & family, Mary Gilliam & family, Delgratia & family, Bobbie Elayne &
family, Carol, Cheryl Mobley & family, Bettie & family, Jane & family, Scott,
Who is the Son of Man? “Some say John the Chris & family, Michael & family, Berger family, Mendez family, Ikai family,
Joshua Moser, Stephanie Christian, Carolyn Williamson, Patricia Finch, Kathy
Baptist, others Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the Weaver, Heidi FitzGerald, Ed Schaffer, Justine, Chris B., Joyce Jones, Anna &
Henry, Mary & Leonard, Doris Bishop, Sally McElrath, Sean McHugh, Debbie
prophets.” Peter recognizes Jesus as “the McCloud, Joey Milani, Julia Dahm, Mr. & Mrs. Cotton Elphingstone, Mary
Ondovchik, Ann Rudy, Sonja Robinson, Gary Toler, Randy Taylor, Brian
Christ, the Son of the living God.” The reign Strickland, Julian Campbell, Peggy Cable, Claude Rickman, Z.C., Dames gang,
of God is a dynamic event. God exercises sav- Anderson family, Chris Stahler family, Mary Jo Shamas, Frances Homsey, Gus
Kneidinger, Frank, Ana Maria, Erwin & Erwin Molano, Ligia Restrepo, Isabel
ing power among humanity in a new way. Vribe, Chris & Stevie, Mary Foster, Jim Cannon, Nancy Truesdale, Mary Platt,
Amy & family, Lee family, Toni Cannon, Robin Renc, Denise Kell, Lauren &
When God’s presence and action are made Baby Brown, Elaine Cole, Elysa Cole-Ali, Marie McDemmond, Anthony
Morgan, Anthony Ubaka & family, Kathy Minor & family, Gladys Obid &
visible in unconditional love and compassion family, Hattie Jackson, Wideman family, Sr. Mary Bonaventure, Zebertas
for others, the reign of God is realized. Are family, Edna & Louis, Norman Hightower, Hazel Leseueur, Russ family,
Patricia and Kenneth Booth, Cathy Garger & family, Carol & family, Gary
you building up the church founded on the Bright, Melanie & Matt Stanley, Carlo Dellaquila, Katherine Catti, Joanna &
Michael Spataro, Maria Beck, Angela & Justino Prado, Stephanie & Matt
rock of Peter? Fletcher, Chinelo, John Herring, Mickey Todd
Philip J. Sandstrom, S.T.D. © 2001 Oregon Catholic Press. All rights reserved.