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When we think of St. Peter, we think of the Rock upon which Christ built His Church. We think of his bold profession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” We think of his martyrdom, his faithfulness unto death. And yet, we cannot forget the other side of Peter—the man who, on the very night of Our Lord’s Passion, denied Him three times.
Christ did not choose Peter because he was the strongest, the wisest, or the most unwavering. Peter was passionate, yes, but he was also impulsive, afraid, and at times unreliable. And yet, despite his weakness, Christ entrusted him with the keys of the Kingdom. He did not revoke Peter’s calling after his denial—He reaffirmed it with a simple but piercing question: Do you love Me?
The papacy has always been entrusted to weak and sinful men. I am not saying that all popes have been horrible, terrible people - but they are humans affected by sin, just like the rest of us, not to mention humans in a position of power. There has never been a perfect Pope, and yet, through all the trials and crises of history, the Church has endured because Christ Himself is her foundation. This should give us hope—not just in the Church, but in our own lives. If God could use a fisherman who once fled in fear to shepherd His flock, He can certainly use us, with all our faults and failures, to carry out His will.
As we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, let us remember to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his time of illness. Whether his time to pass on is quite near or still some time away, Christ's Vicar on Earth always needs our prayers. Let us also ask for St. Peter’s intercession, that we may remain faithful to Christ - not because we are strong, but because Christ is.
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