Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
(I Peter 5:1-4; Matthew 16:13-19)
As much as
we are eager now to get on with Lent, the Church asks us to pause to consider
the pope. More than any other day on the
liturgical calendar, today is dedicated to the Bishop of Rome. Someone asked if Peter was not the longest
reigning pope. Of course, Pope Pius IX
reigned as pope thirty-two years. Would
not then Peter been head of the Church longer if he were given the keys to the
kingdom in the year 32 or 33 A.D. and kept them until his martyrdom in 65? However, historians don’t comment on this, perhaps
because Peter did not go to Rome right away.
The 300 or
so popes since St. Peter have come from different nations and possessed
different qualities. Although a few of
them sinned grievously while occupying the chair of Peter, most were holy men. Some of them were even martyrs like St. Peter
himself. Three or four of them have been
called “the Great.” In the fourth
century, Pope St. Leo was erudite enough to leave us a profound understanding
of the liturgy and brave enough to confront Attila the Hun. In the sixth century Pope St. Gregory sent
missionaries to convert or reconvert the extremities of Europe while writing a
pastoral theology and perhaps inventing the chant that bears his name. Pope St. John Paul II captured the respect of
the world in an age of disbelief for his courage, love, and wisdom.
More than
admire the popes, we should pray for them.
They bear responsibility for the pastoral care of the world. This may sound pretentious, but in fact
contemporary popes have been seen in this way.
Of course, they give immediate attention to Catholics, but what they say
and do are reported around the world.
They are looked upon by national leaders for moral wisdom and spiritual insight.
