St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

Power Vs Authority

Dear brothers and sisters,   

     Human power seeks to dominate, and preserve itself through control and force. Conversely, Divine Authority, operates entirely through the logic of Grace. Look at the fate of Shebna, the master of the palace. He is a man intoxicated by human power. He carves out a majestic tomb for himself in the rock, engineering his own legacy, confident in his political security. God strips him of his office; and elevates Eliakim to the power for his faithful stewardship.

     Peter, who is not a polished politician, master strategist, or religious dictator, but an impulsive, fragile fisherman, is given the divine authority, the keys of the Kingdom for his faithfulness to Christ. While Shebna carved his tomb on a rock, Christ builds His Church on a "Rock".

     God does not need our human posturing, our resume of strengths, or our self-made kingdoms, but our surrender. Peter becomes a pillar precisely because he stops relying on his own human power and opens himself up to divine grace. Authority is given by God. (Jn. 19:10-11); authority to serve and power to protect.

     By building our own "Shebna Tombs", we will not understand divine authority. "The depth of the riches, wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" Entrust your life to His authority, and let Him build something eternal on the foundation of a humble heart.

     An empty work glove with the shape of fingers, cannot pick up a tool or move by itself. A living hand slides inside the glove. Now the glove does hard work, but only because the hand gives it power and direction. Human strength alone achieves nothing of eternal value. God's authority works best when human lives let His Spirit move through them. (Isaiah 10:15). Blessings!

  Msgr. Xavier Pappu                     

Homilies 2026: May 23, June 20, June 27, July 4, July 11, July 18, July 25, Aug 01

Aug 08

                     Insert:  Giving to God/Dar a Dios.pdf

                                    Please pray for vocations to the priesthood,
                              for the Priests of our Diocese; & for our Bishop.

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