Vigils Reading

A reading from “Ut Unum Sint” by

POPE ST JOHN PAUL II

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The Bishop of Rome is the Bishop of the Church which preserves the mark

of the martyrdom of Peter and of Paul: “By a mysterious design of Providence it

is at Rome that [Peter] concludes his journey in following Jesus, and it is at

Rome that he gives his greatest proof of love and fidelity. Likewise, Paul, the

Apostle of the Gentiles, gives his supreme witness at Rome. In this way, the

Church of Rome became the Church of Peter and of Paul.”

The Gospel of Matthew gives a clear outline of the pastoral mission of

Peter in the Church: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood

has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you,

you are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my Church and the powers of death

shall not prevail against it…” It is just as though, against the backdrop of

Peter’s human weakness, it were made fully evident that his particular ministry

in the Church derives altogether from grace.

It is important to know how the weakness of Peter and of Paul clearly

shows that the Church is founded upon the infinite power of grace. Peter,

immediately after receiving his mission, is rebuked with unusual severity by

Christ, who tells him, “You are a hindrance to me.” How can we fail to see that

the mercy which Peter needs is related to the ministry of that mercy which he

first must experience? And yet, Peter will deny Jesus three times… Peter

receives the charge of shepherding the flock on the occasion of a threefold

profession of love, which corresponds to his threefold denial.

As for Paul, he is able to end the description of his ministry with the

amazing words which he had heard from the Lord himself: “My grace is

sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”; consequently,

he can exclaim: “When I am weak, then I am strong.” This is a basic

characteristic of the Christian experience.

As the heir to the mission of Peter in the Church, which has been made

fruitful by the blood of the Prince of the Apostles, the Bishop of Rome exercises

a ministry originating in the manifold mercy of God. This mercy converts hearts

and pours forth the power of grace where the disciple experiences the bitter

taste of his personal weakness and helplessness. The authority proper to this

ministry is completely at the service of God’s merciful plan and it must always

be seen in this perspective…

Associating himself with Peter’s threefold profession of love, which

corresponds to the earlier threefold denial, his Successor knows that he must be

a sign of mercy. His is a ministry of mercy, born of an act of Christ’s own

mercy… The Church of God is called by Christ to manifest to a world ensnared

by its sins and evil designs that, despite everything, God in his mercy can

convert hearts to unity and enable them to enter into communion with him.

At the dawn of a new millennium, how can we not implore from the Lord,

with renewed enthusiasm and deeper awareness, the grace to prepare ourselves,

together, to offer this sacrifice of unity?