THE POPE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily or talk for this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time A is, “The Pope.”

What’s your take on the Pope?

Today’s gospel can challenge us to ask, “Who do you say that I am?” to two people: Jesus and Peter.

It hit me that I would like to ask that question not to Christ, not to Peter,  but to those who followed Peter: The Popes.

“Who do you say that I am?”

CATHOLICS

In general Catholics and Protestants differ significantly on the following interpretation or use of today’s gospel story. Some Protestant groups would say that yes Jesus is singling out Peter for a special role and title here in the early church - that he is the head, the rock, the leader. Then they would disagree that this role moves on to the successor of Peter: who was Linus who was followed by Cletus. then Clement, all the way to the 265th pope: Benedict XVI.

There were bumps in the road, but this is what we Catholics call, “Apostolic Succession.”

BORN CATHOLIC - SOME WONDERINGS

I was born Catholic - with Pope Pius XII as pope all through my young years. He was pope from 1939 to 1958.

A wondering came up as I was thinking about all this: “It must be different being a Christian Catholic to have a pope in one’s way of seeing and thinking - than being a Christian Protestant and not having a Pope in one’s way of thinking. What’s that like?

Next I wondered: what is it like for someone who becomes a Catholic as an adult - and the reality of the Pope enters into one’s religious thinking. What’s that like? I don’t remember ever talking to anyone about this.

I also wondered if a priest is more conscious and more aware of the pope in one’s life than those Catholics who are not priests. I would assume the answer to that is: “It all depends.”

Another wondering that came up: “Is there a different outlook and attitude about the Pope in one’s life as Catholic in 2011 compared to say, 1960?”

Did the Vatican Council I [1869-1870] and then Vatican Council II [1962-1965] change people’s attitude about the Pope in one’s life as Catholic?

THE PERSON AND THE OFFICE

There is a difference between the person and the office.

It’s obvious that different bosses have different personalities.

We see this at work. We see this in parishes. We see this with popes and presidents. Kids see this in step parents in second marriages. Kids see this every new school year with a new teacher.

Pope John XXIII - Angelo Roncalli - was certainly different than the trim, slim, Pope Pius XII. Benedict XVI is different from John Paul II. Paul VI was different than Pope John Paul I - who was only pope for about a month.

I would assume for Catholics that the key thing is not the person - but the office. He’s the Pope. And if the pope came to Annapolis and said Mass at the Navy Football Stadium - we’d all be there - regardless of our take on this pope compared to other popes. We would be going to see the Pope.

I would assume that we Catholics are embarrassed by various popes in the 15th and 16th centuries: the Borgia’s, the Della Rovere's, the Medici’s. There have been popes who have been saints and popes who have been scholars, popes who were quiet as a church mouse and popes we rather not talk about. We can be proud of the popes of past few centuries - aware that no one was perfect. I rather hear the take of scholars and historians - who do their research and then put it all out on the table - in a book - that tells us the good, the bad and the ugly - than seeing the pope as in a popularity contest.

The old saying that an old lady from Jersey City said about the clergy can be said of the popes, “The five marks of the Church are: It’s one, holy, catholic, apostolic and survives its clergy.”

I’ve heard Christians - who are not Catholics - imply that we Catholics are centered on the pope and they are centered on Christ. Some Catholics might be that way - but we know the role of the pope - as well as the role for all of us - is to get out of the way and let Christ shine forth. And some Protestants might be centered on their founder more than Christ. Without calling him or her a pope, in a way, that’s what they might be - depending on the role that person played in the life of that community. But I hope we’re past the Catholic - Protestant fights.

The Pope helps. He’s called the Servant of the Servants of God - to challenge us to discover God and our neighbor in our midst when they need our love.

The Pope teaches. In Spain this weekend he’s talking to Young Catholics from all over the world. Yesterday’s Capital had a short piece that he said to our youth that too many people have amnesia when it comes to God - and too many people have made things their god. The Pope is a teacher and a preacher. We have had great encyclical letters from our popes down through the years - on Faith, Hope and Charity, on war and peace, work, labor unions, the economy, the poor amongst us, society, the environment, etc. etc. etc. . Being a poet, I have often wished that they had more imagery and examples and stories in these letters - but that’s the pain a dreamer has to deal with.

The Pope is our chief shepherd. I am happy Pope John Paul II made all those pilgrimages reaching out to youth and to so many people. We’ll never know how many people he kept in the fold - how many people he got thinking - how many people had a conversion of heart and manner. Then there are those who think this pope and the last pope should have as pope done more about stopping the abuse of young people by priests.

That’s one point: the difference between the person and the office.

IF I WERE POPE

Here’s a question for the dinner table - or when you’re sitting around with a few Catholics - on the back porch: “If you were pope, what would be 3 things you would do as pope?”

I like to joke at time and say, “If I were pope, I have my top 10 changes. I’d announce them in the first week.” Then I add that I would probably be shot or poisoned the next day.

I’d definitely call for Vatican III. To prepare for that I’d first call for country Vatican III’s. To prepare for them, I would call for local parish and diocesan Vatican III’s. And all these meetings I would open it up to not just bishops, not just priests, not just religious, not just theologians, but to all Catholics.

I would assume that those in local Rome’s and the Rome in Italy would say, “Oh my God, are you crazy? Do you realize what that would unleash?” Underneath many would squirm - realizing the loss of power and control.

I jokingly say, “If I were pope, I’d get rid of the hats and a lot of the fanfare - knowing that there was a cut down of some of the pomp and circumstance back in Pope John XXIII and Paul VI’s time. I’d want more simplicity. Yet I know pope and pomp and circumstance probably helps the economy of Italy, etc.

 For the sake of transparency I’d have to say I’d be a jeans and tee shirt type of pope. However, I’ve never seen denim vestments.

I’d also want the popes to be younger - in their 50’s - so those who think my ideas are crazy can relax because I’m in my 70’s.

CONCLUSION

We have a Pope. We pray for him by name at every Mass - and then we name our local bishop - and we pray for him at every Mass as well. Jesus gave the Pope the Keys to the Kingdom. He is called to be a leader, a teacher, a servant. He is called to be a rock - so that we Catholics know we have a security - that our chief bishop is following the tradition of Christ and all that we have learned and discovered as our Church has down through the years.

The bottom line - the message we can glean from today’s gospel is that each pope does and says to the Church what Peter said in today’s Gospel to Jesus: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Then the pope spells out the good news that Paul tells us about what Christ does and is as we heard in today’s second reading: Jesus is and brings us the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God…. For from him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Or as Pope Paul VI said to Jean Guitton in his dialogues with him: I must disappear, Christ must appear and reappear. [1]





Notes:

Painting on top: Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, Il Perugino, Sistine Chapel in Rome.

[1] The Pope Speaks, Dialogues of Paul VI with Jean Guitton, Meredith Press, New York, 1968.