Fr Cuthbert Brennan OSB
The question of identity is an overarching theme in the gospel of Matthew. Not only the identity of Jesus but also deep in the background of Matthew’s gospel is the real the question of identity for the early Jewish Christian community. Were they no longer faithful Jews? Were they wrong to accept Jesus as the Anointed One, the messianic King?
Last week you will remember we had the confrontation with the Canaanite woman, the outsider who challenged Jesus’ narrow understanding of his mission and this week we have the master asking his students to clarify his career path and identity. Each of these encounters is a dialogue of self-discovery, a reflection about identity and mission. But of course Jesus is not having some divine identity crisis but instead has been consistently pigeon-holed by his contemporaries. He is known as Jesus of Nazareth and we all know
that nothing good can come from Nazareth. He is labelled as the carpenter’s son and we are all familiar with the dismissive maxim like father like son. And so Jesus asks what are others saying about him? And the replies are; John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah – all very honourable if mistaken perceptions. And it is Peter inspired by God who makes the profession of faith. And for that he is rewarded with the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
What a useful set of keys to have these days of greed, intolerance and
animosity, where there seems to be at times a deficit of charity and human decency. If we are to live out our call to discipleship, then we cannot insulate ourselves from the issues of our times, but instead we must have the courage to be seen clearly and reflected honestly in the mirror of the other, in their needs, their dignity, their humanity so that they can unlock the potential of their own selves and in doing so our true identity and potential is also unlocked.
Dr. Frank Mayfield was touring Tewksbury Institute when he collided with an elderly floor maid. To cover the awkward moment he asked, "How long have you worked here? Almost since the place opened; the maid replied. What can you tell me about this place?" he asked. I’ll show you; She led him to the basement. She pointed to small prison cells, their bars rusted with age. She said, "That’s where they kept Annie; Who’s Annie? he asked. A young girl brought here because she was incorrigible. Nobody could do anything with her. She’d bite and scream and throw her food at
people. The doctors and nurses couldn’t get near her. I’d see them trying, with her spitting and scratching. I was only a few years younger, and I used to think, I sure would hate to be locked up in a cage. I wanted to help her, but if the doctors and nurses couldn’t help her, what could someone like me do? so I baked her brownies. I walked carefully to her cage and said, Annie I baked brownies just for you.’ I’ll put them down and then I got out of there as fast as I could. I was afraid she might throw them at me. But she took the brownies and ate them. After that, she was nice to me. Sometimes I’d talk to her. Once, I got her laughing. A nurse noticed and told the doctor. They asked me if I’d help them with Annie. I said I’d try. So every time they wanted to see or examine her, I went into the cage and calmed her down and held her hand. They discovered Annie was almost blind. After they worked with her a year, Perkins Institute for the Blind opened. They helped her and she went on to study and become a teacher.
Years later Annie came back to the Tewksbury to visit and asked what she might do to help. The Director had just received a letter from a man about his daughter. She was unruly, blind and deaf, deranged and animalistic … but He didn’t want to put her in an asylum. So he wrote to ask if we knew a teacher who would work with his daughter. That is how Annie Sullivan became the lifelong companion of Helen Keller. Years later, when Keller received the Nobel Prize, she was asked who had the greatest impact on her life. She said, Annie Sullivan. But Annie said, No Helen. The woman with the greatest influence on both our lives was a floor maid at the Tewksbury Institute.”
A scrub maid who chose the power of the keys. Identity is performative. In birth and baptism we were created and recreated in the image of God and were given our own set of keys. We can use those keys to bind ourselves and others or unlock the doors of dignity and affirmation.