21st Sunday in ordinary Time Year A 27th August 2023
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 51 v1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12 v1-8; Matthew 16 v13-20
The Invisible Mentor
The person of God not mentioned explicitly in today’s readings is the Holy Spirit.
Jesus implies that the Holy Spirit is at work in the mind of Simon Peter, when Peter identifies Jesus as ‘the Messiah, the Son of the Living God’. (Matthew 16 v16). Jesus told him: says “Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! You didn’t discover this on your own. It was shown to you by my Father in heaven”. (v17).
Paul writes, ‘Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.’ (Romans 12 v2.)
Isaiah prophecies that ‘God’s teaching will cause justice to shine like a light for every nation’. (Isaiah 51 v4b).
All three passages can be linked to the promise that Jesus made to his disciples. “The Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I have said while I was with you.” (John 14 v26).
In the letter of James, he writes; ‘Wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind helpful, genuine and sincere.’ (James 3 v17).
Paul talks of these qualities as gifts of the Spirit. (see 1 Corinthians 12 v4 and Galatians 5 v22)
Paul says that ‘the Spirit has given us life, so we should follow the Spirit’ (Galatians 5 v25).
As a follower of Christ, are you willing to let God help you with your thinking?
Are you willing to think of God’s gift to you of the Holy Spirit as a mentor?
Do you consider yourself as ‘a chip off the old block’? (see Isaiah 51 v1).
Hymn writer Brian Foley invites to pray for God’s gift of an indwelling Spirit.
(Singing the Faith 382).
Holy Spirit, come, confirm us in the truth that Christ makes known;
we have faith and understanding through your helping gifts alone.
Holy Spirit, come, console us, come as Advocate to plead;
loving Spirit from the Father, grant in Christ the help we need.
Holy Spirit, come, renew us, come yourself to make us live:
holy through your loving presence, holy through the gifts you give.
Holy Spirit, come, possess us, you the love of Three in One,
Holy Spirit of the Father, Holy Spirit of the Son.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.