💖 HOMILY - AUGUST 4 💖

First Reading - Jeremiah 31:31-34

Gospel - Matthew 16:13-23

We have leaders in the Church who guide and direct the faithful. The role of leadership in the Church is vital for guidance. The readings of the day warn that the leadership must be attuned to the will of God or else that may be a reason for misleading. It simply means the leaders must guide people according to the will of God and give Him glory for our success.

The first reading recalls the consistent failure of the people of Israel to keep the covenant made by God with them. Jeremiah reassures the people that out of His goodness, God is going re-write the covenant in the hearts of everyone. The covenant of the old or the Sinai covenant has been repeatedly broken by the people but the establishment of a new covenant will be different as this covenant will be made with every individual. This covenant will be open to every individual, an individual commitment to the Lord, written on human hearts. It reminds us of our individual responsibility to God.

The gospel recounts a beautiful account of Jesus revealing himself to his disciples. Jesus began with question: who do people say the Son of Man is? and then "who do you say I am?" The first question leads to give a personal answer of who Jesus is for everyone. Peter got that rightly and Jesus appoints him as his successor on earth. However, shortly after an exaltation of Peter, his elation collapses with a rebuke from Jesus. Though Jesus appointed Peter as his successor but he was required to accept the will of God. Hearing Jesus' passion and death, Peter got troubled and taking him aside tried to take control of the situation but a rebuke from Jesus brought him to the realisation of the plan of God in him that must to take place.

Dear friends, we are leaders in the Church. Our leadership role may be directly associated with the Church or can be indirectly related to it, such as, as educators may be in the educational institutes, we carry out our role as leaders, or as pastors in the parish, or as formators in the formation houses, or as lay men or women in guiding and leading the old and young people etc. Any role that we play of guiding and directing others, we become leaders in the Church. Our leadership becomes effective and appealing to God, as long as we desire to seek God's will in doing so. But our role as leaders become a deviation when we try to lead and guide others according to our will rather than God's way. Peter beautifully unfolds the identity of Jesus, but later he prevents Jesus to carry out the will of God and imposes his will on him, as a result, he was rebuked by Jesus. When we try to manipulate our responsibility according to our whims and fancies, without seeking God's way in that, we also stand as failures before God. Let's carry out our leadership roles not as according to our whims or for our self glory but according to God's will, giving glory to God for every good work He does through us. Let's also remember that we are responsible to God for our actions. 

A beautiful message of leadership is set by St. John Mary who became a leader to lead people to God by realising what God wanted from him. Let's be leaders after the example of this great saint who drew souls to God through a simple and exemplary life.

May God help us shoulder our roles as leaders seeking His will and His glory in that.