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Jesus says to Peter this Sunday: "Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah..., you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church…" This passage has caused countless arguments between Catholics and other Christians as to what exactly Jesus meant by these words. But before saying something about Peter's role and that of his current successor, Pope Francis, it is important to highlight Jesus' primacy as leader of the Church. Five centuries of controversy about the authority of the pope from Protestant reformers have perhaps caused us to forget that Jesus himself is the invisible head of the Catholic Church. He says it clearly, "I will build my church.” For that reason, we believe our Church, as imperfect as her leaders and members often are, is divinely inspired and guided when it comes to the most fundamental matters concerning faith and morals.
One of Jesus’ defining characteristics is that he is a builder. He was alongside the Father in creating the world. In taking on our human nature, it is no coincidence that most of his life he worked as a carpenter; he made stuff out of wood. His public ministry was also one of intense building activity. He was not a "lone ranger" like John the Baptist out in the desert. From the beginning he formed a core of disciples and chose Twelve of them as a sign he was establishing a "New Israel." The former Israel was Yahweh's bride; the new Israel, the Church, is Jesus' bride. Jesus continues to form his bride through the power of the Holy Spirit and the sacraments. As long as new souls are are born, Jesus continues the work of building the Church.
One of the ways Jesus forms his church is by inspiring individual Christians to do their part along with him. That is why tithing, supporting the works of the Church, and helping those in need are so important to our identity as Catholics. Whenever we commit to sharing our time, talent, and treasure in a free and generous way, we are participating in the building up of God’s kingdom. If we allow Jesus to work through us, including through our material possessions, He continues his work of building the kingdom of God.
Of course Jesus could do everything himself without having to deal with the messiness that comes with getting humanity involved. But in His mysterious wisdom God knows there are more spiritual benefits to having us work alongside him in the process of salvation instead of just sitting back and receiving spiritual entitlements. In the process of giving and building, we are changed by God’s grace and our love of God and love of neighbor is deepened. Think of how much Incarnate Word relies on your willingness to volunteer for our many ministries. We could never afford to hire people to do all those tasks with the same level of care and creativity! Your monetary support through the collection not only represents giving back to God some of what he has given you, it is also a participation in his work of building the Church.
Many scholars and preachers have commented on how weak Peter could be. At times he was emotional, brash, cowardly and petty. If one was only relying on human wisdom, Peter would not be the first choice to lead a church that was destined to be eternal. Bishop Fulton Sheen speculates that Jesus chose Peter precisely because of his weaknesses. He wanted to make it clear the Church does not ultimately depend on man's strength. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and in a real sense Peter himself is the weakest link in the chain of popes. But once that weakness is submitted to God for healing and transformation, bedrock is found and Jesus takes over the process of building.
Sometimes people ask what I think about the pope. I generally say that it doesn’t really matter what I think or feel about him. What matters most is that I respect him as Christ's Vicar here on earth. I owe that to God. It does not mean every utterance of the pope will be correct. Nor does it mean his every action will be holy. History unfortunately provides many examples to the contrary. But it does mean we can trust that the Holy Spirit will use the magisterium and the office of the Papacy to give us sound doctrine.
This is no small guarantee. When you consider how many different Christian denominations have sprung up, each of them claiming a Scriptural basis, it is nothing short of miraculous that the 267 popes from St. Peter to Francis have held such a consistent course. Some small credit goes to the personal holiness and wisdom of our popes who have cooperated with God’s grace. The majority of praise must go to Christ and his Holy Spirit. He knows how to build things that last. If we are humble and docile enough to play our part in that process of building, we can enjoy being a piece of something that will be here long after we are gone.
Let’s make sure we pray for the Pope each and every day, that he can cooperate with God’s grace in the many decisions he makes and the many burdens he must carry. Let’s thank God for his wisdom as a builder, that he has not left us alone or abandoned but always gives us a shepherd to help us on the road which leads us back to heaven. Finally, let’s be generous in sharing what we have when Jesus invites us to be part of his building process. God can work around our weaknesses and sins! As long as we follow him humbly, our acts of charity and worship can strengthen the foundations of our Church and make it even more beautiful and effective in saving others who are looking for Christ.
