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:
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16:18)
With this, Jesus clearly made His will known. He wanted to give His Church a head, a representative, a “rock,” who was to be first among the brothers. Gregory the Great (Pope from 590 to 604) was an energetic church leader and, at the same time, in accordance with Mark 10:44, saw himself as “Servant of the Servants of God” (Servus servorum Dei). All popes after him adopted this title. Jesus has already shown by His own example how this calling is to be carried out: in His Spirit.
In the spirit of service, the Lord has given Peter a share in His authority so that he may exercise the power to bind and loose. Thus, a great responsibility rests upon this office: to lead it in the Spirit of the Lord and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is important to understand here that this authority is about service to humanity. Through the Church, people are to reach God and receive from Her everything necessary for this. It would be a misinterpretation to understand this authority in terms of the exercise of earthly power.
Although there has been much turmoil surrounding the Petrine office and some unworthy representatives, it has nevertheless endured. A key reason for this is that the traditional teaching of the Apostles was upheld, and the truth did not suffer any obscuring despite the personal misconduct of individuals. This is a great sign that cannot be understood without divine assistance, for from the very beginning many heresies threatened the Church from within and would have corrupted it early on.
Thus we can regard the Petrine office as a wise gift from God, which serves the Church by preserving unity throughout the ages.
It should also be noted that God intended only one Church, presided over by Peter. This is neither arbitrary nor an emphasis on a special position of power. It is simply the continuation of what Jesus intended to establish in this world for the salvation of humanity. We humans have a Head above us—God Himself, the source of all true unity among people. With the coming of the Son of God, this became visible, and the Church exists to gather all people into God and prepare them for eternity. The Pope is given the special task of making this holy order of God present and serving it.
Unfortunately, this visible unity of the Church has been lost, which is deeply regrettable, for it weakens the Church’s witness. Without delving into the manifold reasons that led to the East–West Schism in 1054, this remains a painful wound to this day. Time and again, there have been attempts to overcome this division. One of the last efforts was the Council of Florence. There, the leaders of the Eastern Church, headed by the Greek theologian Bessarion, aligned themselves with Western beliefs. In 1439, a union agreement was signed. The Western Church continued the council in Rome until 1445 and decided to unite with several smaller Eastern Churches: the Armenian, Maronite, Nestorian, and Jacobite Churches. Efforts to reach an agreement with the entire Eastern Church, however, failed.
A decisive reason why reunification has not yet taken place is precisely the office of the Pope, which is regarded as the office of the unity of the Church. In contrast to the development of the papacy in the Catholic Church, representatives of the Orthodox Eastern Churches wish to recognize the Petrine office only as an honorary primacy and do not attribute to it any juridical authority over the entire Church.
The schism that originated in Germany and is primarily associated with the name of Martin Luther was also very painful. The schism caused by Anglicanism in 1534 is likewise unforgettable and painful. It is characteristic of all newly formed Christian communities that they do not recognize the papal officeas understood by the Catholic Church, nor the authority associated with it. Furthermore, they deviate in quite a few areas from the doctrine and practice of the Catholic Church.
As understandable and right as the desire is to overcome divisions and schisms and to find visible unity in Christ, this can only happen in the truth that the Lord has entrusted to His Church.
Reflection on today’s reading: https://en.elijamission.net/the-authority-of-the-church/
Reflection on today’s Gospel: https://en.elijamission.net/friendship-with-jesus-2/