Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A

Upon this rock I will build my Church.

Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8

“You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

We live in very tumultuous times. Sometimes it seems like the world is coming undone like a cheap suit. Even the Church is not immune to the chaos. There is constant fighting between those who are liberal and those who are traditional. We have progressed past the “Cafeteria Catholic”, who picks and chooses what teachings to follow, to the “Burger King Catholic” who demands the Church be their way. There is a renewed call that the Church get with the times. And there are many who have questioned the Catholicity of our last two Popes. What are we to do?

The first thing we need to do is to hear the words of Jesus and take them to heart. “Have no fear.” “Peace be with you.” “Trust in me.” Jesus knew what lay before the Church he was about to build on the faith of Peter. The faith of a man who always failed when put to the test. Jesus establishes the Church and gives his authority to run that Church to the twelve disciples. Jesus then gives primacy over the twelve to Peter. Peter is not to rule as a king, but to serve out of love.

Then Jesus made us a promise. He would be with us until the end of time and nothing would ever destroy his Church. We should take great comfort in that. If Jesus will be with us and nothing can destroy the Church, we need not fear any trial or tribulation that we are made to face. Jesus is in the boat with us and it will never sink no matter how turbulent the seas may become. If we are asked to endure hardship it is only to give us the opportunity for our faith to grow stronger. Trust in Jesus, have no fear, and be filled with his peace.

One thing that is uniquely Catholic is our insistence on proper authority. Our entire faith is dependent upon it. Jesus clearly establishes the Church and gives his authority to run that Church to the twelve disciples. We do not believe this authority ended when the disciples died, but was handed on to their successors. This unbroken chain of Apostolic Succession is what makes it possible for the Church to consecrate the Eucharist, forgive sins, and offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We can do these things because Jesus gave the Church the authority to bind and loosen. It is something the non-Catholic Christian churches simply do not have. That authority currently resides with the Pope in union with his bishops. They have the solemn duty to pass on the deposit of faith as it was given to us by Jesus himself. We believe that Jesus will not allow the Church to fall into error. To disagree with the Pope and the bishops in regards to the official teachings of the Church is to disagree with Jesus himself.

Because of this, we owe our Pope and our bishops our respect, our obedience, and our loyalty. That does not mean that we have to follow them blindly. We do have to realize that they are the ones guided by the Holy Spirit to run Christ’s Church on earth and if they lead us in a direction that we don’t agree with or understand that God is still in charge and has a plan for his Church. There is a proper leadership in our Church and it is not you or me. Jesus asks us one thing, “Do you trust me?” If we do, we will also trust those he chose to lead us. That can be a very comforting thing.

Trust in Jesus, have no fear, and be filled with his peace.

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A

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