Today we take one last look at the calling of Saint Peter, after having considered yesterday some of the qualities necessary for fulfilling such a high office. We have had outstanding popes in the succession of Saint Peter, but also some who scarcely possessed the inner qualities necessary for the fruitfulness of the office. Yet we Catholics can still say with joy that the “Rock” has withstood the storms over the centuries. After Peter had confessed that Jesus is the Messiah (Mt 16:16), the Lord spoke these well‑known words to him: Read More
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“NOTHING IS MORE LOVELY THAN MARY!”
“Nothing is small that God commands. … That is why I most earnestly recommend to you the veneration of the Mother of God. Nothing is more powerful, nothing more lovely, nothing stronger than she!” (St. Stanislaus Kostka)
The saint speaks from the depths of his own experience and holds out to all of us the great treasure that God has given: the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the Bride of the Holy Spirit.
“THE HIERARCHY OF LIFE”
“Anthony (the Desert Father) used to say that it is a person’s duty to devote all their time to the soul rather than to the body, while allowing the body only a brief moment for its needs. But all the rest, he should entrust all the more eagerly to the soul and seek its well-being, so that it might not be dragged down by the pleasures of the body, but rather, on the contrary, the body might be subject to the soul.” (Saint Athanasius)
“The qualities of a true shepherd”
Regarding the Petrine office, we emphasized yesterday that when Jesus called Peter to his ministry of shepherding the sheep, He asked him about his love and then entrusted him with the task of feeding them (John 21:15–19).
We further considered that the Pope’s ministry consists, in particular, in authentically transmitting Christ’s teaching through the centuries until the day of His return at the end of time, for the Church has understood Peter’s calling as an appointment to a universal pastoral office. In this context, it must be emphasized how important it is that the Church remain protected from heresies and reject them, so that their poison does not penetrate the Body of Christ.
In what follows, I would like to highlight a few points that are indispensable for a true shepherd of the Church.
Feed My sheep!
During the rich period between the Lord’s Resurrection, His Ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit, let us turn our attention more fully to the theme of the Church. Surely the Lord prepared His disciples even more intensely for what was to come, initiated them into His plans as far as they were able to grasp them, and set the necessary course. One of these essential steps is illustrated by the following text.
“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.’ This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God. And after this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” (John 21:15–19)
“THE LORD WATCHES OVER US”
“Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Ps 121:4)
That is true, dear Father: You are always watching over us. This watchfulness springs from Your love for us and is free from any mistrust, which we humans, unfortunately, all too often harbor within ourselves.
“PERSEVERANCE ON THE PATH OF DISCIPLESHIP”
“It is not the beginning that is rewarded, but perseverance alone.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
It is good that the words of Saint Catherine remind us that a brief uplifting of the heart—sometimes accompanied by the tangible grace of God and corresponding resolutions—must prove itself over the long journey. This requires spiritual training, so that we consciously work at bearing the hardships necessary to bring a good beginning to fulfillment.
We must all experience many hardships before we enter the Kingdom of God
Acts 14:19-28
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the people against them. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. Having preached the good news in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith, saying, ‘We must all experience many hardships before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles. They stayed there with the disciples for some time. Read More
Proclaiming the Gospel with wisdom
Acts 14:5-18
Eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by gentiles as well as Jews to make attacks on them and to stone them. When they came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the good news. There was a man sitting there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; he was listening to Paul preaching, and Paul looked at him intently and saw that he had the faith to be cured. Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet-stand up,’ and the cripple jumped up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus-outside-the-Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings, mortal like yourselves. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made sky and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed all the nations to go their own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven and seasons of fruitfulness; he fills you with food and your hearts with merriment.’ With this speech they just managed to prevent the crowd from offering them sacrifice. Read More
“PRAYING WITH THE SAINTS”
“Just as young nightingales learn to sing from the older ones, so we too, through our association with the saints, will learn to pray and sing God’s praises more beautifully: ‘I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels,’ says David (Ps 138:1).” (St. Francis de Sales)