Feast of Peter and Paul
See Commentary on Matthew 16:13-19 in Matthew 16:13-20
Homily 1 - 2014
Can you grow in faith without the Church? Do you need to be a Catholic? Can you be a “Lone Ranger” Christian? I think a number of Catholics are asking themselves precisely these questions – especially in the light of the current Royal Commission and the issues it raises. Some of you may even be wondering yourselves.
Let’s begin. But since we wouldn’t get far in a brief homily, rather than answer the questions, I shall give a bit of background.
Today’s Gospel is a good spot to start. On this rock I shall build my Church. Jesus had just christened Peter “the Rock”. Under the inspiration of God, Peter had recognised and named Jesus the Christ – the long-awaited person who would save the world and lead people out of the dead-end, destructive and violent mess they consistently chose for themselves. Peter had recognised and named Jesus the Son of the Living God, the human incarnation of God and the definitive human revelation of God.
In addition to that, as Paul assured us, we can share with Jesus in his risen and divinised humanity. This happens to the extent that we deliberately entrust ourselves to him, to his way and to his project; and that we say Yes to his invitation to live through, with and in him.
That choice is what faith is. Faith is not a Yes to a whole collection of statements. It is Yes to relationship with Jesus, and through, with and in him, with the Father.
On this rock I shall build my Church. The Church is built on our faith, as expressed by and embodied in Peter. It is therefore all about relationships. Jesus used elsewhere the image of a vine. Paul used the image of a human body. The vine is Jesus. The body is Jesus. But like the branches of a vine or the organs and limbs of a body, we are not only in vital relationship with the whole but also inevitably in living relationships with each other.
That has certainly been my experience. My faith is the result of a whole lot of influences from a whole lot of other believers. It has changed and deepened enormously across life, but always informed, stimulated and supported through others, whether through personal contact or through writings that I have read and pondered. These people, in turn, were able to be who they were through the influence of similar networks. All of these people, these myriad other disciples of Jesus, are simply Church – which is no more and no less than the body of believers spread across the globe and stretching back across the centuries.
It is important, however, not to get carried away. Faith is inevitably a work in progress; it takes time. God is mystery, opening into infinity. We each start off ignorant. Our capacity, and even our willingness, to love are quite undeveloped. We are immersed in a world painfully in need of changing and of being redeemed. Inevitably, the community of developing believers is deeply flawed and wounded. Self-interest dies slowly. Loving is an enormous struggle. [How many families succeed beautifully?]
The Church clearly identifies itself as a Pilgrim People, always and necessarily in need of reform. Jesus knew that; Jesus expected that. But it can be challenging living in a Church like that. That is why Jesus returned so regularly to the need for conversion on the one hand and for forgiveness on the other. It is hard to genuinely own our sin; it is incredibly hard to forgive the sins of others, even to know what it really means.
Yet, what is the alternative? Form a group of people who are unwilling to forgive? or a group of the self-styled more perfect? That is hardly what Jesus had in mind. Life in Jesus is necessarily life in community – always fragile and often uncomfortable. In a perfect Church, there would no longer be any challenge to grow. Life would be stagnant. Sometimes, though, it seems there is too much challenge.