This Sermon is prepared by
Rev.Fr.Peter Jayakanthan sss
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Corpus Christi Catholic Church,
Houston, Texas, US
13th Sunday of Ordinary TimeU Turns leads to LeadershipActs 12:1-11; II Tim 4:6-8, 17-18 Mt 16:13-19Dear Sisters, Brothers and Children, we are gathered on this Lord’s Day to celebrate our life joining with the Eucharistic Lord and all our members of this community. Church and faith is built strongly by the powerful proclamation of St. Paul and by the leadership role of St. Peter. We honor these two pillars of the Church. God chose and used these two men for His greater task of establishing Church on earth and building people of one kingdom of peace, love and forgiveness. As we come to celebrate the life of these two great men, we shall promise to walk in the path of Sts. Peter and Paul to proclaim and contribute to the kingdom of the Lord. Do we have born leaders? Do the leaders emerge from the situation? Are leaders come with all the training and struggle? We may not have proper examples for the above questions. But History reveals that Nelson, Mandala, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr were those emerged in a particular situation for a particular purpose. People like Queen Elizabeth may happen to be born in the royal family to possess a higher position in a country. At the same time God chooses, calls and shapes particular people to change the history or to establish His world of values. St. John XXIII and Pope Francis are typical example of this kind. We remember and celebrate two such great personalities St. Peter and St. Paul today. Both have lot of difference at the same time they were shaped through a rock experience to be a rock in the world, society and community. What are those basic differences?Peter was a fisher man…….Paul was a learned Jew.Peter spoke Aramaic …….Paul knew Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew. Peter was with Jesus…….Paul never seen Jesus. Peter ministered Jews….Paul ministered Gentiles. Peter wrote two books…Paul has 14 letters. Peter was killed on cross….Paul was beheaded. Peter was called to establish and stabilize the Church…..Paul was called to evangelize through proclamation. They are two pillars of one Church, one faith and one kingdom of Jesus. They went beyond their differences to accept the call of God. That call of God was the turning points of their life. The turning point or rock experience refers to U turn or total shift in life. Paul’s turning point: Paul was on his mission to stop the fast growing Christian groups. He was knocked down, lost eyesight and received His new call to be an apostle and an instrument of Jesus. The highly intellectual Paul with all his Greek philosophical knowledge and teachings of Judaism faced a turning point in his life. His own people did not believe his conviction and zeal for new mission of Jesus. Pete’s U turn:Peter faced three questions, three denials and wished to make three tents spontaneously faced the turning point or rock experience in his life. He is remembered as great for the stabilized and the established Church of today. He was called rock, which signifies that his mission is firm and strong and his Church will be firm and strong. We thank God for these two great men and their turning points in their life.Dear Friends, we all have turning points, Key experiences and U turn paths in our life. These are the Rock experiences of our life. Are we aware of those moments? Do we accept those experiences? Shall we recognize our leadership roles during those times? It may be in our religious life - parish situation or in secular life – working situation or in community life – social situation or in family life. Peter and Paul said yes their turning points and U turns going beyond their differences and short comings. God raised them as Heroes of Church. I want to give two persons example to show how their acceptance of turning point lifted their as leaders of community and Church. Fr. Salvador Carranza was the Pastor, Church of El Carmen, Santa Tecla, El Salvador. The church was destroyed in the first 2001 El Salvador Earthquake, January 13, 2001. Though whole community of people were threatened and backing away to the attackers, Fr. Salvador faced this turning point, stood up and said, “We will be living microphones for the Lord and we will proclaim his words everywhere” “We have been left without a temple, but not without a Church. We are the Church, and the Church depends on us to keep it alive.” This brought the people back to stand up and fight together. Msgr. Oscar Romero, El Salvador a traditional priest, looking at the repression and persecution made a U turn and lived as a revolutionary Paul. He said in that situation of threat and struggle, “Only solidarity will help to rebuild-not only houses and lifestyles, but above all, rebuild and reform persons and humanity as a new people. El Salvador did not die and disappear in the calamity and oppression. Rather it is hope, when people joined to rebuild and reform one another's life. The facing and acceptance of rock path of these two priests influenced the whole community of people. Solidarity was demonstrated in the approach and perspective of Christians in the El Salvador Earthquakes. It is not running away from reality, but rather self-involvement in the process of reconstruction. When we allow ourselves to face the tuning points beyond struggles and suffering of time, then we begin a fresh path and ready to lead others towards the same. Are we ready for this greater task to be different, to go beyond the differences and accept the U turns then we will be part of the Rock-church – Amen. 
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