A Catholic–Anglican Poetic Meditation
Sunday, 28th June 2026
First Reading: 2 Kings 4:8–11, 14–16a
Psalm: Psalm 89
Response: “For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.”
Second Reading_ : Romans 6:3–4, 8–11
Gospel: Matthew 10:37–42
THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP, THE REWARD OF FAITHFULNESS
There are moments in life when God knocks quietly upon the door.
Not with thunder from Sinai.
Not with fire from heaven.
But in the form of a stranger,
a prophet,
a neighbour,
a weary traveller,
or a gentle prompting of the Spirit.
The woman of Shunem recognized such a moment.
In the First Reading, she perceived holiness beneath ordinary appearance.
She saw not merely a passing man,
but a servant of God.
Her hospit…
[01:36, 8/23/2026] Gen Ansu: 21st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – SUNDAY, 23RD AUGUST 2026
First Reading: Isaiah 22:19–23
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 138
Response: Lord, Your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of Your hands.
Second Reading: Romans 11:33–36
Holy Gospel: Matthew 16:13–20
THE ROCK UPON WHICH WE STAND
A Catholic–Anglican Poetic Meditation
“Lord, Your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of Your hands.”
There are mysteries before which
The human mind must bow in reverence.
We search,
We question,
We reason,
Yet beyond the furthest reach of human understanding
There remains the immeasurable wisdom of God.
His ways are deeper than our ways,
His purposes higher than our purposes,
His judgments beyond our calculation.
And so the apostolic heart can only exclaim:
How profound are the riches
And wisdom and knowledge of God!
From Him all things proceed.
Through Him all things are sustained.
And unto Him all things return.
To Him be glory forever.
Yet this transcendent God
Is not distant from His creation.
The One whose wisdom surpasses the heavens
Knows every human heart.
The One who governs kingdoms
Also cares for the individual soul.
He appoints servants,
Entrusts responsibilities,
And gives authority—not as a trophy,
But as a sacred stewardship.
The ancient steward receives a key,
A symbol of trust and responsibility.
The office is not ultimately about the man who carries the key,
But about the Master who gives it.
So too, every authority entrusted to us
Is a responsibility before God.
Leadership is service.
Authority is stewardship.
Privilege is accountability.
And then, upon the road to Caesarea Philippi,
Jesus asks a question that has echoed
Through every generation:
“Who do you say that I am?”
Not:
Who do the crowds say?
Not:
What does public opinion declare?
But:
Who do YOU say that I am?
The question reaches beyond theology
Into the very centre of discipleship.
For Christianity cannot ultimately rest
Upon borrowed convictions.
The faith of our parents
Cannot substitute for personal faith.
The testimony of the Church
Must become the confession of the individual heart.
And Peter answers:
“You are the Christ,
The Son of the living God.”
In that confession,
The Church discovers its foundation.
Not in human brilliance.
Not in political influence.
Not in worldly power.
Not in architectural splendour.
But in Jesus Christ.
He is the Rock.
He is the cornerstone.
He is the centre around which
The whole mystery of redemption turns.
Upon this confession
Christ declares that His Church shall stand.
The storms may rage.
Empires may rise and fall.
Ideologies may come and disappear.
Human institutions may stumble.
Yet the purposes of God endure.
For what God builds,
No power of darkness can ultimately overthrow.
But with that privilege comes responsibility.
The keys entrusted to the Church
Are not keys to earthly domination.
They are keys of service,
Truth,
Forgiveness,
Reconciliation,
And the proclamation of the Kingdom.
To open the door of faith
To those who seek.
To bind wounds rather than deepen them.
To proclaim forgiveness
To the repentant.
To defend truth
Without abandoning love.
To welcome the stranger,
Strengthen the weak,
And point every searching soul
Toward Christ.
And yet, even as we contemplate
The mystery of the Church,
We must never forget the mystery of God Himself.
His wisdom exceeds ours.
His mercy surprises us.
His providence sometimes takes us
Along roads we would never have chosen.
But the faithful heart can still pray:
“Lord, Your love is eternal;
Do not forsake the work of Your hands.”
For we are His workmanship.
He has begun a work in us,
And His eternal love does not abandon
What His grace has fashioned.
Therefore, when we cannot understand His ways,
Let us trust His wisdom.
When the future appears uncertain,
Let us trust His providence.
When the Church faces storms,
Let us trust her Lord.
When our own faith becomes fragile,
Let us return to Peter’s confession:
Jesus is the Christ.
He remains the Rock
When everything else shifts beneath our feet.
May our lives therefore become
A living confession of His Lordship.
May our churches stand firmly upon Christ,
Our leaders serve with humility,
Our authority be exercised with integrity,
And our witness shine with truth and charity.
And when the mysteries of God’s providence
Exceed the boundaries of our understanding,
May we bow not in despair,
But in worship.
For from Him,
Through Him,
And unto Him
Are all things.
To Him be glory forever.
Amen.
By Col Augustine Ansu Rtd
