Thou art Peter and upon this Rock
August 24, 2008, 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time
Isaiah 22:19-23 Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20
To the churched and unchurched[1]
gathered in a temple not built by human hands[2]
First reading from Isaiah 22:19-23
August 24, 2008, 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time
Isaiah 22:19-23 Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20
To the churched and unchurched[1]
gathered in a temple not built by human hands[2]
First reading from Isaiah 22:19-23
Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace: “I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station. On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open. I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family.”
The word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Alleluia, alleluia.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 16:13-20
Glory to you, Lord.
Thanks be to God
Alleluia, alleluia.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 16:13-20
Glory to you, Lord.
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “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.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, the Rock, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Introduction
St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica
The world’s most famous tourist attraction is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. In the early fourth century Emperor Constantine built a basilica over the burial site of St. Peter. That edifice lasted until the sixteenth century, when Pope Julius II decided to demolish the ancient building and replace it with much more grandeur. Construction of the present day basilica began in 1450 and was completed 176 years later in 1626, at the cost of $48,000,000.
The basilica covers an area of 5.7 acres and has a capacity of over 60,000 people. The interior is a splendiferous splash of every conceivable kind of marble from the great Italian quarries. Way up front in the basilica near the main altar is an ancient fierce-looking statue of St. Peter giving a blessing with his right hand and holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven in his left. The toes of his protruding right foot have been literally worn smooth by the touches and kisses of millions of pilgrims and tourists down through the centuries.
Inside the dome of St. Peter’s (which dominates the skyline of Rome) is the proud Latin inscription in gold mosaic letters 6.5 feet tall: TV ES PETRVS ET SVPER HANC PETRAM AEDIFICABO ECCLESIAM MEAM. TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI CAELORVM -- You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. To you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 16:18-19)
The Catholic interpretation
The name Peter is "Petrus" in Latin and "Petros" in Greek. It derives from the Greek "petra" which means "stone" or "rock." The Roman Catholic interpretation of Matthew 16:18-19 is clearcut. Jesus is saying to Simon bar Jonah, I give you a new name because I am going to give you a new job. I call you now Peter, the Rock, because upon you as upon a solid rock-fondation I am going to build my church. And to you I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. When I take leave and ascend to my Father, you, Peter, are to be my vicar.
Out of that interpretation rose the extravagant basilica and the fierce statue of Peter with blessing in one hand, a key in the other and with a protruding foot with toes worn smooth by the kisses and touches of millions of believing faithful.
Out of that interpretation rose the extravagant basilica and the fierce statue of Peter with blessing in one hand, a key in the other and with a protruding foot with toes worn smooth by the kisses and touches of millions of believing faithful.
Other interpretations
Some very good Christians don’t agree with that interpretation. It doesn’t add up, they say. For example, when Peter is walking on the water toward the Lord and starts to sink, Jesus scolds him for his lack of faith. (Mt 14:28–31) When Peter cuts off the ear of Malchus, the high priest, Jesus scolds him again saying, “Those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.” (John 18:10-11& Mt 26:51-52) All four canonical gospels relate that at the Last Supper Jesus foretells that Peter would deny ever knowing Him. Peter goes out and denies Jesus not once but three times. (Mt 26:69-75) And Jesus should make that man the rock on which He would build His church? It doesn’t add up, say some good Chrstians.
In the sixteenth century, Pope Pius IV (1559-1565) declared that he would never interpret the scriptures otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the Church Fathers. But the Fathers were anything but unanimous in their understanding of the “Thou art Peter” text. Launoy, a Roman Catholic scholar of the seventeenth century, compiled a list of various interpretations in the early church. 17 Fathers believed the Rock was Peter. 44 believed the Rock was Peter’s faith, (He had just confessed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.) 16 said the Rock was Christ. St. Augustine initially thought the Rock was Peter but changed his mind in later years. He ended up by saying that each one should make up his own mind. Swiss German theologian Fr. Hans Küng maintains that in the early centuries of the church no one saw Matthew 16:18-19 as a key verse for justifying the role of the papacy.
In the sixteenth century, Pope Pius IV (1559-1565) declared that he would never interpret the scriptures otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the Church Fathers. But the Fathers were anything but unanimous in their understanding of the “Thou art Peter” text. Launoy, a Roman Catholic scholar of the seventeenth century, compiled a list of various interpretations in the early church. 17 Fathers believed the Rock was Peter. 44 believed the Rock was Peter’s faith, (He had just confessed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.) 16 said the Rock was Christ. St. Augustine initially thought the Rock was Peter but changed his mind in later years. He ended up by saying that each one should make up his own mind. Swiss German theologian Fr. Hans Küng maintains that in the early centuries of the church no one saw Matthew 16:18-19 as a key verse for justifying the role of the papacy.
The pope according to Hunwicke
Like the 17 Church Fathers Fr. John Hunwicke, an Anglican priest and theologian, believes that the Rock upon which Jesus builds His church is Peter, and the pope of Rome is the successor of Peter. But he puts an intriguing twist on his position. Does he want to become a Roman Catholic? Absolutely not! And neither, he says, do most of his Anglican brethren. They harbor too much affection for their Anglican tradition to do that. But, he writes, there is a different question to be asked: Do we want Christian unity? His answer is a heart-felt yes! (He was very keen on Christian unity in the good old days of ecumenism back in the 1960s, and he still is.) Our Lord, he says, prayed that all His followers might be one, and so Christian unity is our duty. Then he adds, “Though I might not want to be a Roman Catholic, I do want to be an Anglican who is in full communion with Rome.”
How in the world is it possible to be a real honest-to-God Anglican and at the same time be in full communion with Rome? Anglican Hunwicke speaks of “a universal primacy [of the pope] at the service of universal communion.” The head of the church, he says, is indeed Peter, the Rock, the Pope. But the pope’s job-description is not to rule and reign over others. It is to serve. That fits in perfectly with a title traditionally and affectionately given the pope: Servus Servorum Dei –Servant of the Servants of God. And what is he to serve? Hunwicke says the pope is to serve “universal communion.” By that he means the pope is to be at the service of and foster communion between Orthodox, Anglicans and Roman Catholics.
That pope’s job-description of the pope is, I believe, even more universal than that. In his gospel John writes that the high priest prophesied that Jesus would, "die for the Jewish people, and not only for them, but also to gather together into one body the scattered children of God.” (Jn 11:52) We push the envelope further and say that the job-description of the pope (vicar of Christ) is similar to that of Jesus -- to gather together into one body all God’s scattered children? The pope is to be at the service of and foster communion not only between Orthodox, Anglicans and Roman Catholics but also between all God’s scattered children, whether Jewish, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. That, indeed, is universal communion.
The pope scattering God’s children.
In 2000, Cardinal Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI), Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a 36-page document entitled Dominus Iesus (Jesus the Lord). It warned Catholics not to water down the very extraordinary uniqueness of Jesus when dealing with Buddhism and Hinduism. In dialoguing with non-Catholic Christian churches, the document also warned us not to water down the extraordinary uniqueness of the Catholic Church. The document, heavy with ponderous theology, was disheartening for ecumenists who for thirty years were laboriously trying to gather into one body all God’s scattered children. At times the document seemed arrogant and condescending in such remarks as, “Though non-Catholic churches suffer from defects, they by no means have been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation.”
In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI approved a document which restated the key sections of Dominus Iesus. The Rev. Sara MacVane of the Anglican Center in Rome said there was nothing new in the new document, and she did not know what motivated it. She pointed out that there is the official position, and there is the unofficial position. The unofficial position is infused with fellowship and with the desire to gather into one body all God’s scattered children. The unofficial position even worships with others. This is certainly true, she said, between Anglicans and Catholics, and also between other groups and Catholics.
One triumphant Catholic gentlemen responding to Dominus Iesus said, “The ultimate goal of dialogue among the various Christian religions is to eventually bring these people back into the Catholic Church. Three cheers to the pope for having the courage to say it.” Another triumphant Catholic gentleman said, “With Dominus Iesus the cafeteria now is closed! No more picking and choosing. All religions are not created equal. Period!” On the other hand, an angry and humble Catholic gentleman responding to the same Vatican document wrote, “As an American Catholic, I want to apologize to my non-Catholic friends and acquaintances for the arrogance of my church toward them.” The church at times scatters the children of God instead of gathering them.
In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI approved a document which restated the key sections of Dominus Iesus. The Rev. Sara MacVane of the Anglican Center in Rome said there was nothing new in the new document, and she did not know what motivated it. She pointed out that there is the official position, and there is the unofficial position. The unofficial position is infused with fellowship and with the desire to gather into one body all God’s scattered children. The unofficial position even worships with others. This is certainly true, she said, between Anglicans and Catholics, and also between other groups and Catholics.
One triumphant Catholic gentlemen responding to Dominus Iesus said, “The ultimate goal of dialogue among the various Christian religions is to eventually bring these people back into the Catholic Church. Three cheers to the pope for having the courage to say it.” Another triumphant Catholic gentleman said, “With Dominus Iesus the cafeteria now is closed! No more picking and choosing. All religions are not created equal. Period!” On the other hand, an angry and humble Catholic gentleman responding to the same Vatican document wrote, “As an American Catholic, I want to apologize to my non-Catholic friends and acquaintances for the arrogance of my church toward them.” The church at times scatters the children of God instead of gathering them.
The church gathering God’s children
In response to the apocalyptic event of 9/11, 2001, Pope John Paul II invited all God’s scattered children to summit with him for peace on earth at Assisi, the birthday place of St. Francis. On January 24, 2002 they came from the four corners of the earth: Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Mormons, Mennonites together with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Shintoists and followers of African tribal religions. That was the third time John Paul had gathered together such a stellar assembly of God’s scattered children.
Before John Paul, Pope John XXIII (1958-1963) in an even more stellar way gathered God’s scattered children. In April of 1963 he wrote his encyclical Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth.) The peace encyclical was issued only two years after the erection of the Berlin Wall and only a few months after the Cuban Missile Crisis. It remains one of the most famous of 20th century encyclicals. It was John’s last love letter to the Universal Church and to the world. He died from cancer two months after its completion. John opened his farewell encyclical with the standard list of encyclical addressees:
To Our Venerable Brethren the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, and all other Local Ordinaries who are at Peace and in Communion with the Apostolic See, and to the Clergy and Faithful of the entire Catholic World.
Then at the very end of the standard list, John added a very special stroke of his own. He added “and to all Men of Good Will.” That special stroke reflected John’s own good will. He wanted his last encyclical to speak not only to the family of the church but also to the whole human race. When he lay dying on June 3, 1963, his last words were, “Ut omnes sint unum.” (“That all might be one.”)
Before John Paul, Pope John XXIII (1958-1963) in an even more stellar way gathered God’s scattered children. In April of 1963 he wrote his encyclical Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth.) The peace encyclical was issued only two years after the erection of the Berlin Wall and only a few months after the Cuban Missile Crisis. It remains one of the most famous of 20th century encyclicals. It was John’s last love letter to the Universal Church and to the world. He died from cancer two months after its completion. John opened his farewell encyclical with the standard list of encyclical addressees:
To Our Venerable Brethren the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, and all other Local Ordinaries who are at Peace and in Communion with the Apostolic See, and to the Clergy and Faithful of the entire Catholic World.
Then at the very end of the standard list, John added a very special stroke of his own. He added “and to all Men of Good Will.” That special stroke reflected John’s own good will. He wanted his last encyclical to speak not only to the family of the church but also to the whole human race. When he lay dying on June 3, 1963, his last words were, “Ut omnes sint unum.” (“That all might be one.”)
Conclusion
Il Papa Buono
The Good Pope
Il Papa Buono
The Good Pope
John did such a wonderful job of promoting communion between all God’s scattered children that the whole world was kneeling at his bedside as he lay dying. We, who were tuned in to the news that day, know that this is no exaggeration. The church beatified John in 2000 and declared October 11 (the day Vatican II summoned by John opened in 1961) as his feast day. John did such a wonderful job of gathering into one God’s scattered children that he is also commemorated on June 3 (his death anniversary day) by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and on June 4 by the Anglican Church of Canada. Throughout Italy he is remembered affectionately as “Il Papa Buono.” (“The Good Pope”)
I am saddened by my church when it scatters the children of God. But I am deeply proud of it when, like Jesus, it gathers them together into one. I am deeply proud of my church when the rock upon which it is built is a man like Il Papa Buono.
[1]] By the “the unchurched” is especially meant not those who have left the church but those whom the church has left!
I am saddened by my church when it scatters the children of God. But I am deeply proud of it when, like Jesus, it gathers them together into one. I am deeply proud of my church when the rock upon which it is built is a man like Il Papa Buono.
[1]] By the “the unchurched” is especially meant not those who have left the church but those whom the church has left!
[2] Acts of the Apostles 17:24
