The Struggle Between Light and Darkness

In Today's first reading, we witness a struggle between the light and darkness. Peter and his message symbolized the light. The Sanhedrin represent the darkness. They seek to stop Peter and the others from "filling Jerusalem with their new teaching." But Peter and the Apostles will not be intimidated. "We must obey God and not men," they respond. The divine power of God working through the Apostles cannot be stopped. Slowly, but surely, it begins to attract thousands of people who are searching for the truth.

"Costly Grace"

In her comments on today's first reading scripture scholar, Patricia Sanchez, speaks of "costly grace," a phrase coined by Lutheran martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Sanchez writes:

Within a very short time after Jesus' resurrection, the community which professed him as Lord and proclaimed the good news of salvation in his name was experiencing what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called "costly grace." An ordained Lutheran minister and professor of theology, Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was also a member of the Pastors' Emergency League, an organization which resisted Nazi influence over the German church.

Because of his work with the resistance and his outspoken criticism of Hitler's third Reich, Bonhoeffer was hanged at the Flossenberg concentration camp on April 9, 1945. In this, the 56th year since his death, believers are still being challenged by his ideas. Bonhoeffer believed that Christians are called to a discipleship which shoulders the burdens and struggles of this world, regardless of the cost. In teaching about "cheap grace" as opposed to "costly grace," Bonhoeffer explained that cheap grace is that which falls from the sky like a blanket to cover the sins of the world; it is preaching forgiveness without repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without profession of faith, and absolution without admission of guilt. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, without the cross, without Jesus.

Costly grace, however, is that treasure in a field which requires all we have. Costly grace calls us to follow Jesus even to the gallows. Costly grace is exemplified in the gift of God's only Son; it is the good news which must be told again and again. Costly grace is the door at which we must knock to find life.

In the first reading from Acts, the disciples of Jesus are experiencing costly grace at the hands of the Jewish authorities who wished to silence them.

The Second Reading-Heavenly Worship

During the Easter season, Cycle C, the second reading is always from the Book of Revelations, probably the most difficult book in the Bible to understand. This week's passage takes us to a heavenly realm where there is a victory celebration taking place for Jesus, the victorious Lamb who has returned home to heaven and to God having conquered sin and death. Seven great possessions of the victorious Lamb are mentioned: power, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing.

In the Eucharistic celebration, we sing of the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Our earthly liturgies seek to pattern themselves after the heavenly liturgy described here. Both seek to give fitting honor and praise to the Lamb of God.

The Gospel

During the Easter season, the Gospel is always from John. Today's Gospel has two parts: There is a resurrection story and an account of Jesus installing Peter as leader of his Church.

The locale of the Resurrection appearance is the Sea of Galilee. A group of Apostles have gone out to fish, following the lead of Peter. The author (writing 60 or 70 years later) wants to present Peter as leader of the newly formed church. As you know, John's gospel is full of symbolism and today's passage is an excellent example of this. Fishing symbolizes the Church's movement to bring Good News to others. The boat symbolizes the Church into which Jesus wishes to gather people. The fishing is done at night, which in John's Gospel, means unbelief or life without Jesus. Without Jesus, they catch no fish. At daybreak, Jesus appears and under his direction, an exceptionally big catch occurs. The obvious point is that successful evangelization only occurs when our efforts depend on Jesus. One hundred and fifty-three fish represent every type of fish. The Church is open to all kinds of people. The net does not tear despite the big load of fish. This is a reference to the unity of the Church. God's Will is that the Church remains in unity despite its vast and diverse membership. The Lord is first recognized by "the Disciple Jesus loved," John (love helps us to recognize Christ's presence). The meal of bread and fish, prepared by Jesus, has obvious Eucharist overtones. Listen to the words of Jesus; "He took the bread" and "gave it" to them.

Then Jesus "rehabilitates" Peter as a disciple. Peter's threefold denial of Jesus left him in need of healing and reconciliation. In this passage, Jesus helps Peter to get in touch with the depth of love he has for his Master. Having done this, Jesus installs Peter as the leader of the Apostles and Early Church. As we read through the Acts of the Apostles, we clearly see that Peter is the chief spokesperson, just as the Pope is the chief spokesperson for our Catholic family.

A Parallel Between Peter and Us

In today's Gospel, Peter is called a second time by Jesus to come and follow him. In reflecting on this Gospel, Jose Rubio sees a parallel between Peter and us. He writes:

We too are called - again and again. We were called at baptism, but maybe we were too young and didn't know what we were getting into. Catechumens called at Easter may have been overwhelmed by the excitement and beauty (or length) of the ceremony. Like Peter, we may have seen others leave Jesus. Like Peter, we have experienced the cross. We have been through illness, depression, the death of loved ones, family crisis. At times, we may have felt abandoned by God. But, like Peter, we too have witnessed the resurrection. If we look back and reflect on all the difficult times of our lives, we can see that God was with us, sustaining us, seeing us through. This is what theologian, Gerard Austin, calls 'hindsight faith.' At the moment, when we're in a crisis, we may not realize that God is with us. But later, we look back and say, 'Yes, it was God who saw me through.' After all we've been through, we're asked again if we still want to follow him.

Like Peter, we too have been enthusiastic; we have said we would follow without knowing what we were getting ourselves into. Like Peter, we have jumped into the water without clothes on. Like Peter, we've heard Jesus' message - heard it Sunday after Sunday. Like Peter, we've broken bread with Jesus. Like Peter, we too have denied Jesus. But in spite of it, because of it, Jesus asks us again: Do we love him, will be follow him? The Gospel text does not give us Peter's answer, but other tests do. The story has a happy ending. We learn in today's first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, that Peter was arrested for following Jesus and did not deny him. Instead, Peter boldly proclaimed, 'we must obey God rather than any human authority.'

It's also as if Peter's following up to now has not been one hundred percent. At the beginning, Andrew brought Peter to Jesus; maybe he followed because his brother Andrew did. In chapter six, Peter just has nowhere else to go. After Jesus' arrest, Peter follows but furtively, at a distance, and then denies Jesus. At the empty tomb, we're not told that Peter believed, only that the other disciple did. Now Peter again is invited to follow Jesus. Jesus gives Peter another chance. He has seen Peter's bungling enthusiasm, heard Peter's triple denial and triple declaration of love. After everything, in spite of everything, or because of everything, Jesus chooses to call Peter again: 'Follow me.'"

The Papacy: Divine and Human Institution

As we read through the Acts of the Apostles, (sometimes called the first history book of the church), we quickly notice how Peter was clearly the leader of the early Christian community. He is the one who searches for a replacement for Judas (1:15-26). On Pentecost day, he speaks on behalf of the other Apostles (2:14-41). It was through Peter that God revealed to the early church his desire to have the Gentiles included in the new community He was forming (10:1-48). For other references to Peter's leadership role, see Acts 3:12, 48 and 5:8-16.

The Successors of St. Peter

Most, if not all, non-Catholic churches agree that Jesus conferred on Peter a special leadership role so that he could guide the church and maintain its unity of belief. But, they do not accept the Catholic claim that Jesus intended Peter's successors to have the same leadership role, power and authority. In other words, they say that there is nothing in Scripture to substantiate the Catholic claim of papal primacy for the successors of Peter. The Catholic Church does not teach that Peter was the first pope in the way we see the Pope today; I.e., as someone whose role was very clearly defined and spelled out. Neither need we believe that the first nor second successors of Peter saw themselves as "the Pope" (that title wasn't used in those early centuries) or as the Universal Shepherd of the entire Christian Church.

What our Church does believe and teach is that Christ intended that the special leadership role that he bestowed on Peter would be passed on to the successors of Peter. We believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the historical development in which the Bishop of Rome was gradually recognized as the Universal Shepherd of the whole Christian world.

As Catholics, we reason that if Christ decided that the Apostles and the Early Church needed one person to be her leader and head, then surely the church that was much larger in numbers after the Apostolic era would need someone to be her leader and head. She would need someone who would maintain its unity, someone who would have the final say when disputes arose. Common sense and experience tells us that someone had to take the place of Peter as the leader and visible head of the Church. There is ample evidence from Early Church documents to show that "someone" was the Bishop of Rome and his successors. Catholics do not need a verse from the Bible to prove that Christ intended the successors of St. Peter to have a leadership ministry that would hold the church together when threatened by division. Implied in Jesus' desire for his church to continue is his desire for her to have an office or ministry that would be the visible center of her unity. It is in this context that Catholics believe that the office of Peter, now exercised by his successors, is of divine origin.