The Word Of Peace
Homiletic Reflections On Peacemaking

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is considered by many Americans and others to be among the most significant personalities and Presidents in U.S. history. He was a man situated in the most crucial period in world history. It was a time that demanded a strong and compassionate personality. It was a time that would test every fiber and sinew of the American republic and the existence of democratic governments around the world. It was a time that demanded a strong leader!

Many regard Roosevelt as such a man, a rock that helped to inspire and guide the Allied forces and cause in WWII. Yet as a man, he was anything but a physical rock, he was a victim of the crippling effects of polio. At night, before he went to bed, he had to have his servant put in into bed, dress and undress him. He would never lock the door to the bedroom, because he was deathly afraid of fire. Despite these limitations FDR found ways to cope. Before he would close his eyes in sleep he would imagine himself a young boy, whizzing down a snow-covered hill, adroitly moving from side to side. In his imaginings he was free, young, vibrant again. With each morning, however he had to face the very real ordeal of coping, living and understanding a world, nation and people crippled as he was. He was forced in his adversity, and that of the worlds to ask that often silent question put to us today: " Who do YOU say that I am ?"

This question has and remains the springboard question that almost every book on Jesus begins with. It is the question asked of Peter and the disciples, and to the entire Church down through the ages. In the Scriptures, the identity of a person is always tied up with the mission and meaning of that person for creation, history, the community and the self. The answer to the question given by Peter," You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God", is preceded here by the answers that the other disciples give based on what they heard others say. Some people felt Jesus was JBAP, others Elijah, still others Jer. It is clear that the ministry of Jesus was such that it provoke such a response by people, That is, his ministry had the features of the prophetic style, though he goes beyond the prophets announcing that something greater and decisive is present in his ministry and person. Yet he does not seem to fit into any categories, some seem at at loss to give an answer to the question.  Peter thinks he 's got it, " You are the Messiah  "Ah ha !. Jesus is both excited and cautionary in his response. He blesses Peter, calls him rock or foundation of the Church and gives him authority because of his insight. But then Jesus does something peculiar. He tells them not to tell anyone about his identity!

Why would Jesus tell Peter and the others, including us, not to tell anyone ? The answer becomes apparent as we proceed through Jesus' ministry, because what it means to be the Messiah has not been fully fleshed out for them. That is, they cannot know what Messiah means because they have not followed Jesus all the way to the cross and resurrection yet. This is significant because at that time the word Messiah had many meanings. What Jesus is telling them and us is that we must follow all the way before we come to know what being the Messiah means ! Matthew hints that in order to know something of the Messiah we need to understand that like JBap ,Elijah and especially Jeremiah, Jesus would meet opposition and be Killed!

In calling the disciples and the Church to follow to the end Jesus knows that by doing so we would learn that compassion, healing, suffering in service for others opens us up to know Jesus' identity as the Messiah. This is a Messiah who confers authority on the Church as it makes him present to world in living and dying like him! Peter is called rock, but we know he was anything like a rock in his frail humanity. Yet Jesus gives him authority. Yet this authority can only be exercised in Jesus' name if the Church is willing to go all the way with Jesus. To be compassionate like Jesus.

The paralysis that crippled the body of FDR expanded his mind and spirit. Eleanor, his wife, called his trial by fire a time when Franklin became" less arrogant, less smug, less superficial. more focused, more complex and more interesting ! His labor Sec. Francis Perkins observed, " The man emerged completely warm-hearted, with a new humility of spirit and a former understanding of profound spiritual concepts. Far more intensely than before he reached out to know people, to pick up their emotions, to put himself in their shoes. No longer belonging to his old world in the same way, he came to empathize with the poor and underprivileged, with people whom life had dealt a difficult hand. "

In FDR 's struggles we see that he entered into a new insight, something was disclosed to him. The affliction forced him to confront Jesus' question today. Over time and struggle he began to understand who Jesus was as the Messiah. He became more compassionate in this journey of his. That's our call as well, as Christ's Church, following Jesus all the way. In do this we will come not only to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but more importantly, we will come to know him as such. The result: we will become more insightful, more compassionate, more authorized to speak in Jesus' name, and therefore be a more credible witness to the world of who Jesus is. We too like Peter will be able to answer the question " Who do you say that I am?"; " You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.
Uploaded January 14, 2000