St. Peter

This Sunday we will hear the Gospel of Peter's profession of faith.

For 500 years people have been attempting to be Christian without recognizing the role of the papacy and the Church. A radical individualism was introduced into Christianity with the protestant reformation.

More recently people love to be spiritual and not religious.

Just yesterday I read an article about someone who recommends staring at a mirror for an hour each week instead of going to Church. He thinks we should meditate on ourselves.

This same sentiment is expressed when couples preparing for marriage want their wedding to be unique. They want it in a garden or to do something in church that no one else does. (If you want a unique and special wedding try wearing white for a reason.)

When a marriage relationship or our relationship with God depends solely on our own emotions and feelings then what happens to the relationship when our feelings change.

Like a family, the Church is a communion of persons. Like a family there will be ups and downs and people who have weaknesses, but we do not abandon our family. We should always be striving to be more like Christ. As long as we are faithful to the testimony of Peter then we can be certain that we in the family established by Christ, the Church that will never pass away.