THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
4 MAY 2025
When Simon
Peter climbs on shore and sees the charcoal fire, could he be thinking of
another charcoal fire? The one burning
in the courtyard of the high priest? As
he was warming himself around that fire while Jesus was being tried by the
Sanhedrin, he had denied three times that he knows him. He deeply regrets those denials. The risen Christ brings them up when he asks
Peter three times if he loves him. He
asks three times not to rub salt into Peter’s wounds, but to heal him. He asks, because he knows that Peter is
deeply sorry for his sins. Jesus
continues to invite Peter to be the leader of his Church by inviting him to
feed his lambs, tend his sheep, and feed his sheep. I would have said, “You blew it, Peter. I am appointing John to lead my Church. I always liked him better anyway!”
Not
Jesus! He has always invited flawed
human beings to be in positions of authority in his Church. It is interesting to reflect on this Gospel
as the College of Cardinals gathers in the Conclave on Wednesday to elect the
next successor to Saint Peter. It is
true that the successor of Saint Peter has the gift of infallibility when he
makes a definition about a dogma in union with his fellow bishops. However, individual popes have always been
fallible human beings. Eamon Duffy has
written Saints and Sinners, A History of
the Popes. It is an interesting book
to read, because he tells the story of outstanding and holy popes. But he also describes those popes who were
corrupt and far from holiness.
When he was
still Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict said this about the Conclave of
Cardinals gathered to elect a new pope: “I would not say … that the Holy Spirit
picks out the Pope, because there are too many contrary instances of popes the
Holy Spirit would obviously have not picked.
I would say that the Spirit does not exactly take control of the affair,
but rather like a good educator, as it were, leaves us much space, much
freedom, without entirely abandoning us.
Thus, the Spirit’s role should be understood in a much more elastic
sense, not that he dictates the candidate for whom one must vote. Probably the only assurance he offers is that
the thing cannot be totally ruined.”
When he says that “The thing cannot totally be ruined,” he is alluding
to the Gospel of Saint Matthew. Jesus
calls Peter the “Rock” upon which he will build his Church. He promises that the gates of hell will not
prevail against it. The Holy Spirit has
clearly been guiding the Church over the last 2,000 years. Duffy’s book proves that Jesus Christ has
clearly kept his promise. The thing
cannot totally be ruined!
During my
lifetime, there have been several conclaves.
Each of them has given us holy and dedicated men called to be successors
of Simon Peter. Each pope has brought his
own gifts and personality to the papacy.
Pope John XIII brought a sense of humanity to the papacy and surprised
everyone by calling the Second Vatican Council.
Pope Paul VI had the difficult task of completing the Council after
John’s death and always looked sad. Pope
John Paul I brought many smiles to the job and lasted only a month. Pope John Paul II was a philosopher and an
extravert who attracted large crowds to hear him. Pope Benedict was an introvert and a brilliant
scholar and teacher who seldom spoke off the cuff. Pope Francis was a pastor who cared deeply
for his flock, especially those on the peripheries. He never hesitated to talk off the cuff, sometimes
causing people to roll their eyes and wonder what he was talking about. As a pastor myself, I do that all the time!
Be sure to
pray for the Cardinals as they enter into the Conclave on Wednesday. Pray that they remain open to the promptings
of the Holy Spirit. We wait together for
the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel.
No matter who gets elected, the Church will be fine.
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