Feast of the Chair of St. Peter,
apostle
(I Peter 5:1-4; Matthew 16:13-19)
It was reported that Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger carried in his wallet a card authorizing organ transplants. But when he became pope, the authorization
was annulled. The reason was not that
the pope’s organs are sacred or useless.
Rather, it was that a pope’s body is no longer his own to dispose of. It belongs to the Church. This sacrifice of disposition of body organs
is small in comparison with the others that modern popes make. The reading from the First Letter of Peter
today gives some indication of other denials of self a pope is called to make.
The reading underscores the pope’s need
of humility. It expressly says that he (really
any priest) is not to lord it over the faithful. Such behavior would give counter-testimony to
Christ who humbled himself by dying on the cross. Nor are popes and other priests to seek
favors for their work. Such actions would
undermine their credibility. More
positively, they are to eagerly look after and encourage the faithful. Only joyful care will win hearts to
Christ. The Vicar of Christ, for whom no
retirement age is set, will necessarily wear himself out under such
responsibilities. His consolation, of
course, is eternal glory upon the Lord’s return.
All of us should take to heart Peter’s
advice to priests. We never stand so
tall as when we bend down to help a poor or weak neighbor. Seeking special favors for our work would
corrupt justice. It sends a message that
we want for ourselves more than is ours by right.
