Peter was passing through every region

Once again, in these days before the Successor of Saint Peter comes to the United States, Saint Peter himself is prominent in the readings for today’s Mass. It is a coincidence, of course, since the readings are part of a Lectionary cycle set years before this Papal visit was even contemplated.

In fact, not only is Saint Peter a key protagonist in both readings, today’s first reading (Acts 9:31-42) gives us an account of the first major Papal trip ever recorded.

...Peter was passing through every region...

The results of this first Papal journey were beyond spectacular: curing the sick and raising the dead.

But the first Vicar of Christ was also very clear that he himself was not the one responsible for these great things.

He found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years,
for he was paralyzed.

Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.
Get up and make your bed.”

He got up at once.

We should pray for Peter’s Successor, Pope Benedict, for those who hear and see him, and for those who see and hear of him during next week’s visit: that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may heal many through the Pontiff’s ministry.

But of course, not everyone will react positively to the Vicar of Christ, just as many rejected Christ himself and his teachings in today’s Gospel (John 6:60-69 – using a traditional form of the text here):

After this,
many of his disciples went back
and walked no more with him.

Our Lord’s response to this was both poignant and challenging:

Then Jesus said to the twelve:
Will you also go away?

It is at this moment that Saint Peter lives up to the name that Christ himself had given him: Peter, the Rock.

Peter answered him:
Lord, to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of eternal life.

And we have believed and have known
that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.

Sadly, people turn away from Christ, especially when challenged by the truth, but Saint Peter recognizes that even Christ’s hardest words are the words of eternal life.

In this regard and in many others, Pope Benedict follows powerfully in Saint Peter’s footsteps: holding fast to Christ’s words of eternal life and proclaiming them skillfully, compassionately, and yet uncompromisingly to a world in desperate need of truth and salvation.

Again and again, let us pray that the Holy Spirit may protect and strengthen the Holy Father in the days ahead and that it may open the hearts of the faithful and of the world to the truth and salvation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Thy faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray:
O GOD,
Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise,
and ever rejoice in His consolation.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Veni, Sancte Spiritus
reple tuorum corda fidelium,
et tui amoris in eis accende.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur.
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

Oremus

Deus,
qui corda fidelium
Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti.
Da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere,
et de eius semper consolatione gaudere.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.