Anywho, I asked him what he was working on recently and sad he just finished working through medieval Canon Law texts and that it was a really horrible experience; 12th century, unedited Latin...no thanks to that.
Now we always, during a smoke break, discuss issues with the world, Church, the university and how we would fix all of them...who doesn't? He then turns to me and explains that while working through this Canon Law, he thinks he figured out one big issue in the contemporary Church; a lack of a foundation in Petrine and Pauline traditions...and I very much agree.
I will get into that in a second but it will also allow me to revisit some of the most moving experiences in the Eternal City.
St. John Lateran is the head and mother of all Churches in the world. At the entrance, you see Sacrosancta Lateranensis ecclesia omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput (Most Holy Lateran Church, of all the churches in the city and the world, the mother and head).
The official dedication of the Basilica and the adjacent Lateran Palace was presided over by Pope Sylvester I in 324, declaring both to be Domus Dei or "House of God." In its interior, the Papal Throne was placed, making it the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. The official sear of the Bishop of Rome (making it the Cathedral the mother and head of the Church in Rome) is also the seat of the Pope (making it the head and seat of the Whole entire Church). Already, there is some evidence for the primacy and importance of the Pope, the successor to the Good and Holy St. Peter.
In the upper part of the baldacchino are preserved the heads of the Apostles Peter and Paul
It is pretty amazing that have them looking down at you when you walk in.
But why are they so important? Why has the Church, since the crucifixion of St. Peter, been so obssessed with his remains, never losing the location on the Vatican Hill where he was buried and building the greatest dome of the Basilica of St. Peter over the Chapel of Constantine over the bones of St. Peter?
Furthermore, why was the most moving experience being able to see the Holy Father with my eyes, the successor to St. Peter? If you look back on my post http://morelacemoregrace.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-roman-adventure.html you will see that the only time I had tears in my eyes was in the presence of the Holy Father.
and why? Yes, I think that guy Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is a great guy...I like his philosophy and theology and he sure has published some great books. Rather, what was overwhelming was seeing Pope Benedict XVI. There is great symbolism in the Pope changing his name; It is symbolic of Jesus changing the name of Simon to Peter at the time he named him as leader of his Church and the first pope. Its the great office of the Pope. Our present Holy Father, when discussing changing his name to Benedict from Joseph Ratzinger, notes that it reinforces the fact that it not about him; rather it is about God. In the Pope, I am able to see the glory of God's work manifesting itself. That somebody like Simon could become the Petrus of the Church.
Anyways, what we as Catholics venerate is the Seat of Peter and the Successor of Peter...not Simon. He is the monarch of the Universal Church
Christ is the Lord of all but he left his authority to Peter to rule the Church on Earth. As successor of St. Peter, the Pope is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth:
"And Jesus answering said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt 16: 17-19)
This picture makes me happy but it also reinforces the Primacy of Peter:
Hence, Peter is the first to enter the tomb; John, arriving first, the beloved Disciple waits for the authority and the primacy of Peter:
"And on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalen cometh early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre: and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulchre. She ran therefore and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and saith to them: They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre: and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple: and they came to the sepulchre. And they both ran together: and that other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying: but yet he went not in.Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre: and saw the linen cloths lying, And the napkin that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place. Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulchre: and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Well this has taken longer than I thought but I just want to say a few more things
I think this is one of the biggest problems in the Church, especially in America that I think has never really had a good connection to Peter and Paul. In a more general sense, Theology (John) must wait for Authority (Peter) and must be grounded in Authority and Tradition (contra Luther and Protestantism that argues for sola scriptura)
and here we are...hard stop.
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