Today is the feast day of The Chair of St. Peter. It is the day when we celebrate what Jesus said; “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.” The chair ( or Cathedral ) is the sign of the pope or bishop’s authority. The building that holds the chair is called the Cathedral.
When Jesus told Peter that one day he would be the head of the church, I would guess the last thing on his mind was a chair. He was probably excited to have been selected for this leadership role. However he was probably also scared about his new responsibility. He couldn’t foresee all that lay ahead such as the shame of denying Christ three times. Of settling disagreements among early church members. And suffering his own martyrdom.
Of course this feast is not about St. Peter’s life, but a celebration of God’s grace at work in Peter and his successors. It celebrates their role as teachers and guardians of the truths handed on by Jesus. We take comfort today knowing that when it comes to the Church, sin will not have the last word. Jesus will ! His grace will continue to sustain the Church and reside in the hearts of the humble.
De Colores, Deacon Doug
