Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
After spending the night in prayer Jesus summoned those who would be Apostles, meaning those who are sent. What we begin to see is Jesus fulfilling the oracle of the prophet Isaiah. We read that on "this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined" (see Isaiah 25:6). He called to himself those whom he would call to feed the crowds with bread, whom he would call to feed the world with his own body and blood. He called to himself those whose own lives would be offered as grains of wheat that would give life (see John 12:24). He called Twelve, because there were twelve tribes of Israel and his covenant would be the fulfillment of Israel. He called Twelve, because they would go forth to the nations, three for each of the four corners of the world.
Jesus was establishing the beginnings of a new covenant, enacted on better promises than the Mosaic covenant of the Law. It's basis was the offering that could truly perfect for all time those who were being sanctified (see Hebrews 10:14).
In the former dispensation the leadership of Israel often did not care for the flock in their charge. They took care of themselves rather than the sheep. Their example was more scandal than something to imitate. Jesus said to follow what they said but not to imitate what they did (see Matthew 23:3). But God promised that he himself would shepherd his people (see Ezekiel 34:15), and that he would give them shepherds after his own heart (see Jeremiah 3:15).
The idea of Apostles, and their successors, the bishops, presents us with a two-fold challenge. First, it seems that quite often we are no better off by way of their example and sometimes even their teaching than were the peoples of Israel. Second, it seems as though in the New Covenant such a role ought not be necessary.
Their is a mystery involved in both of these questions. But it is one we can approach if not fully comprehend. Is Jesus giving shepherds after his own heart when he calls the Twelve? Assuredly. But still, he also calls "Judas Iscariot who betrayed him." This is consistent with what we see today. Many bishops are genuine shepherds, concerned for the sheep. But there are perhaps still traitors amongst their ranks, and at least there are those who are not making much effort to follow Christ. But to simply say that there is precedent for this is not to explain it.
Delving deeper, we can say that the mystery is that Jesus desired to provide shepherds after his own heart while still respecting the free will of those who would be shepherds. He did not decide to so insulate the Church from bad shepherds that such shepherds might not be appointed, and this despite a night spent in prayer, despite knowing that one of them would betray him. But could this work? Could he still deliver on his promises in spite of the limitations of the people through whom he would work?
And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying,
“Know the Lord,”
for all shall know me, from least to greatest.
We might attempt to suggest that the decision of whom he would appoint didn't really matter. Each believer, after all, would receive the Spirit. In some sense they had no need that anyone should teach them anything because of his anointing (see First John 2:27). Jesus himself said he would shepherd his people. In view of the failings of his shepherds are we to fall back to a me and Jesus scenario, where his Holy Spirit is our only teacher? We should not. If we ignore the shepherds appointed by the Lord, whom he has given to care for us, we will be deeply impoverished at best.
Jesus created the Church as a place where the knowledge of him and the power of his healing touch are available even in spite of the great limitations of the humans who are its members. The reason we don't need to "teach, each his fellow citizen and kin" to know the Lord is because the Church has made this knowledge so universally available that, though her hierarchy may individually dissent or sow confusion, the faithful can still see and know the truth. The Spirit operates in Tradition, Scripture, the Magisterium, and the soul of the believer to enable them to know the truth. The reason we don't have to teach one another in the sense the prophet describes is because the knowledge of God has become ubiquitous, or, if you will, catholic.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (see Habakkuk 2:14).
Jesus has created his Church as a place where the power of the Spirit works in spite of human weakness. The very weakness of the hierarchy (not to mention that of we the flock) compels us to confess the divine origin of the Church. For how else would she persevere, and continue, as a whole, to proclaim truth and offer the healing remedies of the sacraments? Even in the beginning we see situations like Peter refusing to eat with Gentiles and Paul criticizing that behavior (see Galatians 2:11-14). Even early on the first pope was acting in a way that made doctrine unclear. But it was very much through the hierarchy, through Paul, against the backdrop of what was already broadly revealed, that the Spirit would show his readers clear doctrine. It was in this way that the Church itself could be called back more fully to embrace her identity. And it is in this way, by fidelity to the shepherds, by caring what Peter says, seeing it in the light of the whole teaching of the Church, and with the gift of the Spirit, that we are called to live today. This is the path to the feast.
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