Today,
the Church celebrates
the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter.
We're not really sure that St. Peter ever
actually had time to sit on a specific chair during his time in Rome.
Obviously, we had no cameras in those days.
Obviously, we had no Internet in those days.
Obviously, we were not there with movie cameras in those days to record historical details.
However, we do have the testimony of history to give us some insights into this feast-day.
We have the history of the church of Rome that signalled this day as special.
We have the history of the Roman Church that sets this day apart as special.
We would be making a huge mistake if we ever thought that this is a day of unchanging tradition.
On the contrary....this feast teaches us that the Church is always in need of reformation, of reconcilitation, of renewal.
This feast day teaches us that leadership of the Catholic Church needs to be always mindful to the signs of the times in every age. The Church should always be about listening, rather than always speaking. The Church should be humble as was Peter. The Church should always be about service to the poorest of the poor.
Let's pray that in these uncertain days of the future of the traditional church, that the Holy Spirit will inspire us all with the vision of the Lord Jesus, who washed feet, who touched lepers, who spoke with known prostitutes, who dined with sinners, who loved flawed human beings.
May Jesus, the Christ, reach out to us sinners,
with compassion, love, and respect.
We pray all good things,
through the mercy of his Father and in his sustaining Spriit.
One God for ever and ever.
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