The Barque of Peter
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
The boat is a symbol of the Church.[1] Today’s Gospel, which follows the Multiplication of Loaves, presents a second “looking ahead” to the future life of the Church which Jesus established in his earthly ministry.
In the Miracle of Multiplication, the Gospel shows how the future Church will consist of a large crowd, gathered and taught by Jesus, and nourished personally by him with the Eucharistic Bread. Crucially, this work will be carried out by the assistance of his apostles acting in his name (cf. Mt 14:16,19). It is upon the foundation of these apostles that Christ will build his Church.
Now he sends them across the sea, while he goes up the mountain to pray. In that boat is the entire future of the Church! The journey is not an easy one. It takes place in the darkness of night, against powerful winds and waves that impede progress and threaten to sink the ship.
This is the reality of the Church. The sea represents the world, and the powers of darkness which rule it in opposition to the Church. The Church is vulnerable to assault, and the apostles are constantly in fear. Christ is not physically present with his disciples in the boat—he is in the mountain. He launches the boat from one shore, and does not appear again until he joins them just before they reach the other side. He appears at the final watch of the night, when it is darkest and all seems lost.
After his death and Resurrection, by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Christ “launches” the Church into the world, while he ascends to his Father. He will not return again until the moment the Church reaches her destination at the culmination of time and history. But he does not abandon the Church in the meantime. On the mountain Christ prays for those apostles in the little boat out on the sea. He sees their plight, and ensures their safety: the gates of hell will not prevail.
On the mountaintop, Christ saw the entire future of the Church in every century, and he prayed to the Father for her well-being. Something of this prayer of Jesus is recorded by St. John in the “Last Supper Discourse”: “I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one…” (cf. Jn 17:6-26).
The Gospel highlights the important role played by St. Peter in the Church. He is the one upon whom the Lord will build his Church (cf. Mt 16:18). Among the apostles, Peter is the head and leader, Christ’s personal vicar and the first “pope.” The Church truly is the “Barque of Peter.” Though weak and sinful, he must be the first to lead in the way of faith and courage. He speaks for everyone when he says, “command me to come to you on the water” (Mt 14:28).
Throughout the Church’s history, the papacy has always been particularly challenged. During the Roman persecutions, the bishops of Rome were deliberately sought out and repeatedly martyred.[2] During the Byzantine era, the Roman bishops were regularly subjected to the politics of eastern emperors.[3] Popes were often subject to political corruption and personal immorality.[4] The evil forces of the world – politics, power, money, sexual immorality – have been the constant scourge of popes (bishops, and priests) for twenty centuries. Cowardice, fear, and indulgence are supreme pressures.
In 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned his solemn charge. Who knows what terribly circumstances he was enduring – or unable to endure. What malicious forces are trying to undermine and destroy the Church? We live in dark and unsure times, and the papacy is under attack. Peter threatens to be overwhelmed by the winds and sink into the waves.
For our part, we must remain courageous in faith and trust, continually calling out, “Lord save your people.” The one who ascended to the Father’s right hand will appear again, a light in the darkness, walking upon the waters, and commanding the winds to be calm. He enters his Church, he brings peace, and we bow down in worship. Sunday by Sunday we anticipate this final moment. The Mass not only reaches back to the days of the Church’s founding, but forward to the moment of her consummation.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
[1] Even to the point that we call its central gathering area the “Nave” (Latin: “boat”).
[2] A great example of this is Pope Sixtus II (257-258), whose memorial was celebrated last week on August 6th.
[3] For instance, Popes John I (523-526) and Martin I (649-655)
[4] Besides famously corrupt “Mafiosi” popes of the 9th century, there were the notoriously immoral popes of the Renaissance. Pope Julius II (1503-1513) sought to emulate his namesake, Julius Caesar, regularly taking up armor and going to war.