Week 5- Peter and the Papacy

So I just spent about 20 minutes looking at pictures of Pope Francis to choose for this post and I can't get enough. There are many tags on Google images:laughing, smiling, with children, blessing, and my personal favorite, thumb's up! Though this one does make me a little sad because Nick and I tried to travel to Italy to be blessed by Pope Francis the week after our wedding this year and it turns out they don't hold the blessing on the Feast of the Epiphany- big bummer! 

Why has our world been so captivated by Pope Francis? I think it's because he's  so genuine, accessible, and welcoming- a friend we all desire because he lives out the gospel. Talk about honesty- what is Pope Francis' answer to "Who is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio?"- a sinner.

Usually a current event or a picture of the Pope brings up discussion right away- no matter if I'm with a Catholic audience or not. Then I usually here "We love your Pope!"  In general I try to ask why they love the Pope and help bring the discussion full circle by reminding them of the message of the gospel: Love. He reminds us how much we are loved by God and how much we need to love fellow man. Take, for instance, this quote that captures just part of Catholic Social Teaching- profit is good but use what you need and give the rest to the poor. How challenging in our world today! I love this commentary by Bishop Robert Barron on Pope Francis and Catholic Social Teaching. 

 Eventually I hear a negative comment about the Catholic Church in general- wealth, power, scandal, deceit. Or perhaps a question about the papacy-   "Why do you have a pope at all?". Then, be sure to stick to one issue and remind them that while the Church is full of sinners, Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:18 "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it." 
Two thousand years and 266 popes later the Church has a direct line to the Apostles, is the oldest organization, and it most certainly has not been destroyed. (Side note- I love this picture because I think it captures both Peter's audacity and humanity much like how Moses was described- Is he saying "I'll do anything for you, Lord. You know I love you" or "You mean you want me to do it? After all I have done?" Gives me hope when I bounce between these two states!)

We will discuss how to answer the common objections to the papacy and more tomorrow night, beginning with the first pope- St. Peter. If you can't make it be sure to check out Peter and the Papacy. 

See you in the Eucharist, 

The Marino's