by Fr. Tommy Lane
On 16th October 1978, two days after the Papal Conclave had commenced, white smoke issued from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel announcing that a Pope had been chosen. A half hour later a Cardinal announced that Cardinal Karol Woytyla had been chosen as Pope and was taking the name John Paul II. The crowd in St Peter’s Square was bewildered; a Pole elected as Pope, and then he stepped onto the balcony shortly afterwards speaking excellent Italian. If you were to follow the speculation before and during a conclave about who would become Pope you should be prepared to be surprised because of the last fifteen Popes only three were favorites before their elevation (Leo XIII, Pius XII and Paul VI). Many trees were consumed in all the newsprint speculation about the two Papal elections in 1978 but the two Popes elected, John Paul I and John Paul II scarcely received a mention. No wonder that the Romans have a saying, “The one who goes into a conclave as Pope comes out again as Cardinal.”
Just as the media usually get it wrong concerning a future Pope, in Jesus’ day many people also got it wrong about Jesus.
“Who do people say the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
It was Peter who got it right, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus, to use our terminology, then proclaimed that Peter would be the first Pope. And just as those who are elected Popes are almost always a surprise, Jesus’ choice of Peter was also a surprise. When he tried to walk on the sea Peter’s faith was not strong enough and when put under pressure during Jesus’ trial he denied Jesus three times. Perhaps the media would have suggested the apostle John instead. During the Last Supper in Luke’s account (22:32) Jesus said that after Peter had recovered his faith he was to strengthen his brother apostles. We could describe this as the role of the Pope, to strengthen the faith of the Church. And in John 21 three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him and three times Peter replied that he did and each time Jesus asked him to look after his sheep.
Jesus knew the Church needed a Pope to strengthen its faith and to feed it spiritually. We have lost our sense of right and wrong because we are drifting away from God. When we drift away from God we drift away from the only source of truth so we lose our sense of right and wrong. Then we think we can do what we like, that anything goes. When Jesus was tried before Pilate he said he had come to bear witness to the truth and all who are on the side of truth listen to him (John 18:37). Pilate replied, “Truth? What is that?” (John 18:38). Pilate’s reply could well describe these times. To guide the Church in the way of Truth God gives the Church a Pope. I have said to you before that we need both the Bible and the teaching of the Church to guide us on our journey through life because not everything we believe is in the Bible. That is why the teaching of the Church is also so important.
Pilate said, “Truth? What is that?” There is Truth that is unchangeable. There is right and wrong, there are actions that are evil. Our present Pope teaches the truth clearly on all matters and helps prevent us straying from the truth. In Jesus’ time some people strayed from the truth,
“Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
But Peter received a revelation from our Father in heaven and knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. We also believe that the Pope has the charism of truth which we sometimes call infallibility. Our faith is not a matter of opinions, it is not a matter of who people say the Son of Man is but faith is believing what has been revealed to us by God. Without the revelation of God or if we do not believe the revelation of God we would wander around the place saying,
“Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
But with faith we say of Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Let us thank God for giving us a Pope who guides in truth and let us ask God to grant us humility so that we can accept what God has revealed so that instead of saying,
“Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
we can instead say,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
This homily was delivered when I was engaged in parish ministry in Ireland before joining the faculty of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland.
More homilies for the Twenty-First Sunday Year A
Palestine expected a different Messiah - Let us take our values from Jesus
Related Homilies: Peter grew to consider suffering for Jesus an honor
stories about the Pope