The foundation of the Church

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, 
κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν,  (Matthew 16:18a).
Based on this verse, the Catholic Church declared Peter the first pope. The pope is the bishop of Rome. Peter and Paul did not started the church there but both of them died there on the same day. Therefore, the church in Rome was blessed by the two greatest apostles. Consciously, she has taken up the role to defend the tradition handed down by the apostles. It was a long process for the church in Rome to build up her primacy among all other churches. When controversy arose, other churches naturally sought her judgment because she occupied the heart of the Roman Empire. In the age of persecutions, she drank her full cup of martyrdoms.
When Caesar Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Empire, the church no longer needed to suffer the martyrdom of blood, but a martyrdom of a different type: politics. Anticipating the influx of barbaric invasions, the Empire moved the capital east to Constantinople, leaving the bishop of Rome to take care of the city. He had to deal with local nobilities within and barbarians without. When theological arguments flared up, such as the relation between the humanity and the divinity of Jesus, the Caesar would intervene as the defender of faith! He would side with his favourite bishop(s) who might not be the bishop of Rome. So, life would be rather difficult for the popes when they found themselves entangled in European politics. In the meantime, the bishop of Rome sent missionaries to Christianize the continent as well as the British Isles ...
Of course, it is impossible to do justice to all the 266 popes to talk about them in such a brief space. Interested readers should consult books such as Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes or similar books.
Fr. Martin Ip celebrated the 11 a.m. Mass this morning. In his homily, he invited us to imagine what was racing through the mind of Simon when Jesus said he was the rock on which Jesus would build his church.
In hindsight, I don't have to worry about the failures and shortcomings of the church officials because behind them, Jesus is working. Moreover, the church does not belong to Benedict XVI, nor to Peter. She belongs to Jesus. Yet, Jesus needs our cooperation. He needs someone more accessible to the mortals. He needs a rock.
But Peter did not see any rock nor any church when Jesus spoke to him. This would only unfold in time. He did not understand Jesus. His misunderstanding was amply demonstrated 6 verses later when he attempted to stop Jesus from taking up the cross. As a result, Jesus scolded him and called him Satan (Matthew 16:23). Like any mere mortals, Peter took time to mature. He made mistakes, some very terrible ones. But his faith and his love for Jesus did not grow dim in time. On the contrary, even before Pentecost, he had already demonstrated his Christian style of leadership (Acts 1:15-26).
Father Martin pressed his point home. Jesus calls each one of us. He awakes the potentials in us. The ball is now in our court. How shall we respond to this call to perfection and holiness? The gospel gives us one of the examples in Peter: he confesses that Jesus is the Son of God; he preaches the gospel after receiving the Holy Spirit and he dies a martyr in Vatican. Legend has it that he was crucified upside on his own request. As for us, we are Catholics and we believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (Jews accept Jesus as a Rabbi and Muslims one of the prophets.) Not many of us take the second step to preach the gospel. Our talents and potentials are buried. From Jesus' point of view, it is a great pity.

My sweet Jesus, we are not generous enough to respond to Your call. We still have worries and cares in our hearts. We are very much like seeds sown among thorn bushes. I know it is our business to clear up the field. I pray that more young people (and not so young people as well) respond generously to Your call. I pray for my children. If they are pleasing to You, may they become Your instruments of peace. Amen