Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

 Mass during the Day / Lectionary: 591

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Yesterday, I considered the philosophical question of consequentialism and the Church's teaching that the end does not justify the means. Or, two wrongs don't make a right. Many people would disagree with our position; a majority might argue that sometimes we must do evil to attain a good end. And every honest person would admit they have made that choice on more than one occasion. 

The Church's position is based on God's sovereign authority. He cannot be dismissed or ignored. So long as God exists not all consequences can be calculated or predicted; the Lord may act to sabotage the best plan anyone can make. Or God may intervene to redeem a hopeless situation. Atheists, will call it a miscalculation or luck. But luck is not a god; or if there is such a god, it is mindless, uncaring, fickle, and ruthless. Luck doesn't care. Our God does. The God of Abraham and Jesus cares especially about the "orphan, widow, and alien" and does not reward violence against them. 

Because we recognize the truth, presence, and authority of God, we can recognize human authority as well. Parents have real authority over their children, as do governments over citizens, and generals over soldiers. No one makes their own rules; we must cooperate with one another to survive on the dangerous, dynamic planet of our birth. "Nature" cares about human life almost as much as luck. 

Finally, we recognize religious authority; by the mercy of God it has been revealed to us. It's invested in certain people. 

While on sabbatical several years ago, I took a course at Catholic University about the history of Pentecostalism in the United States. Mid-semester, I was astonished to realize that all the quarreling between Catholics and Protestants comes down to questions of authority. Who has it? How much do they have? How long do they have it? How did they receive it? Who authorizes the authorities? What are their limits? Can leaders be stripped of it? And so forth.

Questions about the Virgin Mary, transubstantiation, confession, relics, and saints are only distractions from the real question about authority. When a Catholic or Protestant starts to lose ground in a quarrel they change the subject to one of these less important matters. 

These questions will never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction, but in the meanwhile the Roman Catholic Church celebrates our apostolic foundations, and the most important apostles, Saints Peter and Paul. Because the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are historical events, God established a Church to maintain this living memory; it is the most profound truth of every Christian's life. We cannot operate outside of this memory. We live and move and have our being within the heart of Jesus the Galilean. 

That apostolic authority is ethical, juridical (with authority over clergy and laity), and magisterial (that is, it teaches.) If the Church loses that authority, the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus will be lost. It will be as if he never lived; and his sacrifice was in vain. 

Today's solemnity reminds us of the ancient heritage of Rome, where Peter and Paul died. It's history is checkered; no one can deny that. But that only proves God's fidelity to sinners. He works with and through the Church, and directs history toward salvation.