Message from Fr. Robert Tywoniak

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Parish

Isaiah 22:19-23
Psalm 138
Romans 11: 33-36
Matthew 16: 13-20

The Lord Sees Us With the Eyes of Love.

This week, the second reading from Romans 11: 33-36 gets my attention. “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!” You may read the rest for yourself.

God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are deep. No one knows the mind of God. It is not so much that God hides from us, it is that he is so large and deep in His wisdom and love that we cannot comprehend it all. The Letter to the Romans makes this clear.

However, what is the greatest of all concerning God’s relationship with us is his love for us. The Lord wants us to know him and to have a relationship with him. To make this happen, God reveals himself to us. You can count the ways.

From the Old Testament days until now, God has shown himself through the Judges, Kings and Prophets. Most especially, God the Father sends his only son our Lord Jesus Christ. He comes in the 􀀤esh, incarnate. Now the Lord is present to us in and through the Holy Spirit. God comes into us by the Holy Spirit and fills us so richly with love that fulfills us!

The Lord God continues to be present to us. He did not just “visit” Earth and leave. Jesus’ identity then becomes that of “the Christ, the anointed one” who was promised. He was not only another prophet.

Likewise, the identity of Peter changes. This happens by divine grace, that is by God the Father. He is now Petros (Greek) or Cephas (Aramaic) each of the terms meaning “rock.” Peter becomes the foundation of the Church here on Earth. Peter’s foundational role is to guide the assembly of the Church here on Earth.

This presence of God, this relationship with him, seems to be well expressed in Psalm 138, our psalm for this Sunday. For example, it says, “I will give thanks to your name, because of your kindness and your truth: when I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me.” The Lord is great and powerful. But, while he sees us, he sees me and you, he sees us with the eyes of love.

Fr. Robert Tywoniak
Pastor