Hearing The Word

A weekly newsletter delivering context and insight into the Sunday Gospels.

August 23, 2026

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 16:13-20

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and

he asked his disciples,

"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,

still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 

Simon Peter said in reply,

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

Jesus said to him in reply,

"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. 

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 

And so I say to you, you are Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my church,

and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. 

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 

Then he strictly ordered his disciples

to tell no one that he was the Christ.

The Centrality of Christ

Rev. Jordan Kelly

Director of Music & Liturgy, Saint Patricks + Philadelphia, Pa



Today’s Gospel presents us with essential question which forms and sends us forth as missionary disciples: who is Jesus Christ in my life? Before we can give anything to others, this question must be answered, and our answer will shape the way we live our lives.

Filled with references and adaptation to Mark’s Gospel, Matthew makes clear the necessity of being able to answer Christ’s question, “Who do you say that the Son of Man is?”. Different from Mark and Luke, Matthew poses this essential question using the title “Son of Man” referencing the many other uses of “Son of Man” throughout the Gospels. Matthew’s question reflects Jesus knowledge of His self-identity; His mission; and where both would lead Him: the cross.

Peter’s answer is significant. Although Matthew has used the title “Messiah” earlier in the Gospel, Peter’s proclamation is the first time one of Jesus’ disciples uses the title, Messiah. Peter’s replay to Christ leads to Jesus’ blessing Peter and proclaiming that he would be the rock upon whom Christ will build His Church. Christ’s blessing Peter confirms that Peter’s words a divine revelation. Additionally, the recognition of this divine revelation is verified by the bestowal of the power of the keys: to admit people to the Kingdom and to enact or rescind rules and exemptions and the forgiveness of sins.

The command for silence is not because Jesus is unsure about His identity or His mission. Rather, Jesus exhorts His disciples to silence in order that they might learn more completely the messiahship of Jesus means, and most importantly, what it means in their lives. We must answer the same question.

Does Our Life Answer the Question?



~Conor Donnelly

Saint Maron's Parish + South Philadelphia

As most of us enter church and approach our pew we look to the tabernacle and genuflect (or bow) before sitting down. In a way that answers the second question that Jesus asks in the Gospel today: but who do YOU say that I am? Because when we reverence the Divine presence in the Tabernacle our actions say loudly - Jesus is the incarnate Son of God - I bow or kneel before him present in the Sanctuary - He is our saviour. In the celebration of the Eucharist we come to church as unworthy sinners seeking God’s mercy. We receive the Body of Christ with an Amen and again we give our response that Jesus is present in the Eucharist and is the Son of God.

We have done well so far - two for two in answering the question that Jesus asked us in the Gospel. Now poor Peter, he was asked three times if he knew Jesus and all three times the guy denied any knowledge of Him. So is it really the same Simon Peter we hear in today’s Gospel? Peter was an interesting word to call Simon. In that time in the Holy Land the name was Kepha - like bedrock - the kind of stone used to make foundations.

When we leave church today having chewed on the Gospel and on the Body of Christ we will be asked the question a third time. Does the life we live reflect our belief that Jesus is the Son of God? Do our words and actions give testimony to the Christian message? Does our genuflection and Amen at Church extend to our reverence towards every person we meet who was created in the image and likeness of God? We pray that we too may be a bedrock of the Christian life.