Is 22:19-23 / Rom 11:33-36 / Mt 16:13-20
13 Now when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.” 15 He *said to them, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He gave the disciples strict orders that they were to tell no one that He was the Christ.
Mt 16:13-20
Every Sunday and other holy days, we recite the creed and we speak of the Church as One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. Today, this is reinforced in our Gospel. Jesus establishes his Church around the Apostle Peter, around that one central figure.
We can see both the oneness and the catholicity of the Church; as many parishes and dioceses and cultures throughout the world with many different traditions or devotions, with all that catholicity, we are united under the the pope who has been given authority by Jesus Christ himself to unify the Church, to keep it as one.
Of course the Church, the sacraments and her beautiful teachings have been handed down to us from St. Peter and the Apostles, who received it from Jesus, so the Church is Apostolic.
The authority that Jesus gave to Peter and the Apostles has been handed down to this day to the pope and the bishops. This is an authority to teach and govern the Church. Thus, the teachings of the Church are a part of this. We are called to a respect and obedience to the bishops and all those teachings, even and especially the hard ones. This is not a blind obedience, we are called to be informed as to why the Church teaches what she does, not to simply follow the words of the bishops or priests. Holy Mother Church’s teachings are meant to help us grow in holiness, they are not simply rules or regulations for the sake of rules. What teaching of the Church do you find difficult? Have you looked into the Church’s explanation with an openness to the truth?
Pope John the 23rd who called the 2nd Vatican Council, wrote about the Church as mother and teacher. A mother is called to give her children what they need, and Holy Mother Church does just this…In her teachings we find what we need. But what is it that The Church gives her children?
We receive from her firstly the Word of God. Holy Mother Church has given us the Scriptures and through the teachings of the Bishops, She aids us in their interpretation. As St. Paul points out today, it is difficult for us to understand the mind of the Lord...but the Church helps us in this. She aids us in the right interpretation of Scripture and Tradition. To those of us made her children in Baptism, Holy Mother Church also gives us the sacraments and the graces that they bring that sustain us in the struggle to live the Christian life. In short...The Church as our Mother and Teacher gives us Jesus..the Word made flesh and the Bread of Life.
Jesus and His Church… that relationship is inseparable. Without Jesus, we cannot have the Church, but without the Church, we cannot truly know Jesus. The idea of being “spiritual but not religious” doesn't give us what we need, we can’t get that real experience of Jesus. Pope Francis tells us “Without the Church, our relationship with Christ would be at the mercy of our imagination, our interpretations, our moods.” Which as we know are not always rooted in reality.
The Church is One, Catholic, and Apostolic… and the Church is Holy. The Holiness of the Church comes from the fact that Jesus Christ instituted it and continues to uphold it. The Church is set apart by God, and it belongs to Him. The Church we are members of is made up of sinners, all of us. Yes, even in the leadership, but the Church herself is holy. And the Gates of Hell will not prevail against Her.
The infant Church survived the persecutions of Rome, The Church survived the Protestant Reformation and French Revolution, The Church survived the Nazis and Communists, and the Klan. Our Church was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ and nothing will destroy it.
He remains with his Church forever and He makes his presence known to us daily in the Eucharist. As we approach the altar today, let us give thanks to God for Holy Mother Church and ask for the grace to give her the respect and obedience due to her, our Mother and our Teacher.