10th Sunday After Pentecost - Year A (Matt 16: 13-20)

At first glance, it appears that Peter is being praised by Jesus for doing something, in this case, finally giving the correct answer.  If you look more closely, however, Jesus makes it clear that Peter has actually done nothing.  The “correct answer” is not the result of Peter’s theological acumen.  It is rather, God’s work.  And so we should have great courage, because the church built on the rock of Peter’s affirmation of faith is not ultimately dependent on the achievements of any human beings but always and only on the gracious gift of God.  The work of the church that we set our hands to is, the work of binding and loosing that Jesus gives to us, is indeed God’s work.  May God who has begun this good work in us bring it to fulfillment.