03/21/2005: "Reflections on Sunday's readings"

I figured that this week I'd have a lot to say about the Passion of Christ, which I do. I think that I will save those reflections for Good Friday when we will hear this central story of our faith played out again.

Today, however, I'm going to focus on one line of the Passion story that struck me. "And all the disciples spoke likewise." It struck me so much that I decided to make it the scripture quote of the week despite the multitude of great and important quotes to be used from the Passion story.

This quote comes from the portion of the Passion story that focuses on Peter's betrayal. Most of the time when I think of the story, I think of Peter alone both proclaiming his loyalty and faltering the next morning. But he didn't speak alone. He spoke first or at least as the lead representative of the 12 disciples, but it doesn't change the fact that "all the disciples spoke likewise."

To me, this was a strong glimpse/foreshadowing of the Catholic Church. The Church is led not just by the Pope, the successor of Peter, but by ALL the bishops, the successors of ALL the disciples. And just like the 12 sitting at the table with Jesus, they are all human. They all fail. The all dispurse when the shepard is struck down. They all deny Jesus.

But somehow, despite all of this, they manage to act as one body. It seems to me that we see the Catholic church at it's best when the Holy Father speaks (leads) and the entire chorus of bishops speak likewise. Because just as Peter fell separately from the rest of the 12, when they all spoke together, they spoke of the truth we should all be striving for:

"Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you."