Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle

Lectionary: 535

I exhort the presbyters among you,
as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ
and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.
Tend the flock of God in your midst...

The story is told of Archbishop Harry Flynn's visit to a gathering in a church basement, along with the parish pastor. As they moved from one table to another, a woman greeted her parish priest with great enthusiasm, and then finally turned to the archbishop -- whose picture appeared weekly in the diocesan Catholic Spirit -- and sweetly asked, "And who are you, Father?" 

I once spoke with a fellow who had a complaint about the Catholic Church. He insisted that I should convey his concern to Pope Francis the next time I see His Holiness. Nor would he hear that I have no more access to the pontiff than he does. 

On this feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, we hear the Apostle's exhortation to his fellow presbyters, rather than his fellow bishops. That is, to priests. They are the face of the church for most Catholics. The feast is an explicit celebration of the Vicar of Christ and his pastoral authority rather than the Apostle Saint Peter. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes pope's authority by comparing it vis a vis the authority of the united bishops of the Church:

882 The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered."

883 "The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, as its head." As such, this college has "supreme and full authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff."

884 "The college of bishops exercises power over the universal Church in a solemn manner in an ecumenical council." But "there never is an ecumenical council which is not confirmed or at least recognized as such by Peter's successor.

The Church describes the pope as "the Vicar of Christ." No matter how modestly the pope appears before his fellow bishop or the world's media, we regard him with the deference we would give to Jesus if Nazareth, were he to reappear. 

And when we speak of that authority we remember the Song of the Lamb in Revelations 5:

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength,

honor and glory and blessing.”

“To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor, glory and might,

forever and ever.”

The pope is persona Christi with the authority to speak to the Church and to world leaders with the authority of Jesus Christ. And yet, he is a man. Pope Francis is an old Argentinian, a survivor of Argentina's Dirty War, and a Jesuit. We regard him with the affection we would have for any old fellow whose health is precarious, and whose regard for the least among us is challenging and exemplary. 

Pope Francis has attempted to speak with a prophetic voice to the Church and the world, which is very unusual. The pope's authority, like that of any leader is more often used to suppress and divert spirited impulses in the Church. If someone has a good idea about what "we" should do, they must -- sooner or later -- get some authorization from the official leadership. They might assemble a large group of people to meet with that person, or they might go alone, but the official's responsibility is to listen and consider, and then to encourage, dissuade, or redirect the energy. 

The authority will ponder: Does this idea jive with our tradition? Does it fit within our vision, goals, and plans? Can it be folded into the efforts we're already making? Is it coming from out of left field, or is it something we're already doing? Has it been tried and failed already? Or perhaps it should be squelched as a very bad idea whose time never has and never will come.

The leader ordinarily does not come up with a whole new vision of where we should go, and try to persuade the body of their particular idea. 

Pope Francis has certainly not promoted alien ideas with his concern for synodality, the poor, and climate change; but he has, I believe, attempted to make a prophetic statement to the World and the Church. And, predictably, he has upset a lot of people because popes don't often speak to the Church prophetically. 

And so we pray for him and we pray for our Church and we watch to see where the Lord is leading us. And we thank God again for the gift of the papacy. When we consider the confusion, disunity, and distress of virtually all other religions, we are astonished by that divine determination to remain united before a bemused, bewildered world.