Friday, February 22, 2013
First, my apologies for the missing postings. My ardent reader did not call me to question why there were no postings for the last few days. Little did I know that Wednesday's posting had not gone through the internet world. Yesterday, I was called out and did not return until much too late to post my reflections. Todays the scenario was no different. So, oops and sincere apologies ... will do all that I can to make sure postings are not lost in space and my schedule will be better. Now to St. Peter.
The particular reason for this feast is quite significant. In short, it is an occasion when we can test our loyalty to God and the Church. On this day we are called to remember an extraordinary facet of our Church: the man chosen to be a successor of St. Peter joins in carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ as given to him by his Father. We should not forget that in saying to Peter "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church is significant business. Imagine the scene: the son of God turns over the keys to the kingdom to a human being. In doing so he is entrusting to him to carry out the work of the Father, the mission that Jesus was given. His was a mission of compassion.
If we were to look through the historical accounts of the times when the CHurch as have its own challenges, more likely than not we would find events that portray moments when humanity stood in opposition to the will of God. Those times were occasions when the people of God and in some instances the clerical members of the Church were no in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
So, our challenge is to ask ourselves how do I stand in relation to what the Church teaches today? The slippery slope that we can easily place in our lives is to believe we have a conscience that can always make our decisions for ourselves without any concern to teachings of the Church which we don't appreciate. Laity and clergy alike have to confront the feelings or "beliefs" we have made dogma or doctrine in our own personal "church."
