On this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time we hear from the Prophet Isaiah, St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, and from the Gospel of Matthew. The readings speak to us first about the human person and how an abuse of authority can lead delusions of “self aggrandizement”. Our second reading addresses the immensity of God, His ways and our human inability to fully grasp His goodness, mercy and plan; while the gospel as our third reading talks to us about the Kingdom of God, how God’s power and authority flows to His Church, and the meaning of the Magisterium and its relationship with the Body of Christ--you and me.

In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we hear of a man in authority at the palace who is overcome with pride of position, and being well-fed by authority which leads him to lose sight of his true role as treasurer over the palace thus removed from office since self-aggrandizement was an obstacle to a mindset of Duty First. Certainly we can say that Shebna, the palace treasurer, did not exhibit Lord Grantham’s or Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s belief in Noblesse Oblige. In the end his goal of seeking pride and power rather than performing duty for the good of the whole, were his downfall.

In the second reading this weekend, the Apostle Paul speaks to the faith that is needed to live the Christian life in the midst of the contemporary world--his and ours. That faith enables the “feeble” human mind which cannot grasp the truth and realty of the Riches, Power, Wisdom and Knowledge of God nor the Depth of God (both in terms of His “Height and Immensity”); and, that the Mercy and Wisdom are incomprehensible and unsearchable to the human condition. Thus, we must have faith in Him and have Trust in God and His Plan for our lives, so that we will be able to use the gift of this earthly life and time to achieve, as cooperators with
God-- as His disciples, the plan that He has created since the beginning of time. St. Paul reminds us that the God’s power, counsel and wisdom are beyond our understanding yet faith will enable us to “bow our heads and trust in Him”.

The Gospel of Matthew (16:13-16) this Sunday brings us to an understanding of the Kingdom of God as defined in the second reading of St. Paul, illustrating the meaning of heavenly or holy life to which we are all called to live righteously, in right relationship with God and our brothers and sisters. Paul also speaks to the role of the Magisterium of the Church (the Holy Spirit guiding, advocating, and defending from error the Church’s teachings) and the meaning and use of her power (not to control but rather in the most sacred meaning of Nobles Oblige, for the excellence of our souls’ salvation) and her subsequent authority and obligation to pass on Christ’s teachings to the whole of the world in every time and place.

Our application today of the readings this weekend and of faith: The readings this weekend speak to pride versus humility, to self versus the other; and, the necessary means (faith) required to successfully search for the excellence of ourselves and our community in terms of the salvation of our souls: The ultimate goal of God and His purpose for the creation of life; to Know Him, to Love Him and to Serve Him in this world and be with Him forever in the Kingdom to come. We all desire this but do we then actually work towards that noble end, or do we circumvent it by pride’s motivation via self-aggrandizement. The phrase used above, Noblesse Oblige, infers the responsibility (read: duty) of the ‘privileged people to act with generosity (read: charity) toward those with less ‘privileged’. From a Christian perspective, one then recognizes that our Blessings, given to us by God, comes with a duty to share those blessings with others who are less fortunate, whether we define “fortunate” in the realm of finances, education, food or any other deficiency not shared by all.

In the Catholic Church we call this lived-sense of Noblesse Oblige the Common Good. And what does that mean--we hear it almost every weekend in the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass? From our consideration as Church, we mean both an “ideal and a moral measure”.  As an ideal, it is a state of affairs (food, housing, education and the ability for all to participate in politics and culture) where the world is in right relationship so that each of us may reach our full potential (both individually and the communally). While this may never happen in reality because of the human condition, we are called to work toward a common goal for all peoples. As a moral
measure, it is a tool in which we see if our choices align with our common goal, the common good. Do the choices I personally make as well as the choices of the community in which I live in, serve me alone or serve the whole of common good? Simply put, do my choices hog resources or do I take into consideration the impact on others that my choices bring into being? This moral measuring tool should cause an honest conversation in in everything we hold, from the environmental issues to racism. In other words, do I talk-the-talk or actually walk-the-walk; or do I buy a t-shirt and take public accolades rather than make hard choices about the way I live and the things I am willing to give up, i.e., my college scholarship, beach home or privileges so that those without such luxuries might have the same privileges in life that I do.

These are all hard conversations and very difficult choices for us all to make. They can’t be addressed here or by me, but rather only in faith, with humility, with trust in the Power and Wisdom of God by all.