22 February 2013 - care from the chair

22 February 2013 - care from the chair

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
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.

Peter was willing to be used by the Holy Spirit to let the revelation of God be made known through him.  Even though he was put in such an important leadership role he maintained humility.

Do not lord it over those assigned to you,
but be examples to the flock.

He must have been remembering the words of Jesus.

You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, 
and their great ones make their authority over them felt. 
But it shall not be so among you. 
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;

Jesus himself came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.  This is actually the starting point for Peter's instructions to the presbyters (priests) to whom he wrote.

I exhort the presbyters among you,
as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ [emphasis mine]
and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.

To abuse authority goes against the very heart of what it means to be a Christian.  We follow the one who died for our sake even though he is God omnipotent and all authority is his by right.  We share in the glory to be revealed by first sharing in his self-emptying.

The LORD is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.  There is no one else like him.  Because of his love for us we don't fear even when we walk in the dark valley.  And our leaders strive to be shepherds after his own heart (cf. Jeremiah 3:15).  They are indeed visible reminders of the providential care that God has for us.  Our hope is immense.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

Here on earth we dwell in his house with the shepherds who follow him and we look forward to dwelling with Jesus himself on the golden streets of heaven.  It should give us great confidence as we look forward to a new occupant of the Chair of Peter which we commemorate today.