Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/588

 The duration  of  the  Church. “The gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail against it.”  The  Church,  therefore,  can  neither  be  overcome  nor destroyed; it  will  endure  till  the  end  of  time.

Peter is  the  visible  head  of  the  Church  and  the  Vicar  of  Christ  upon earth.  Our  Lord  built  His  Church  upon  the  rock  of  Peter  (on  the  rock which  is  Peter),  giving  to  it  an  invincible  strength  and  stability. Thus Peter, according  to  the  will  of  the  Divine  Architect,  is  the  immovable foundation of  the  Church. On him  the  visible  Church,  and  all  its  pillars and stones  (or  to  speak  without  figure,  all  its  members)  must,  mediately or immediately,  rest,  and  by  this  support  be  kept together. Whatever does not  rest  on  this  foundation,  does  not  belong  to  the  Church  of Christ. We must,  therefore,  accept  the  fact  that  Peter  occupies  quite a unique position  in  the  Church; that  he  is  its  supreme  head,  and  that his office  is  to  keep  all  other  members  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and that he  is,  in  fact,  the  supreme  authority  in  the  Church. This is  to  be understood  by  the  power  of  the  keys,  which  was  given  to  Peter. The giving up  to  another  of  the  keys  of  a house  is  understood  by  all  to be  the  token  of  the  surrender  to  that  person  of  supreme  authority  over the house  and  its  inhabitants. So, when  our  Lord  Jesus  gave  to  St.  Peter the power  of  the  keys,  He  gave  him  supreme  authority  over  His  Church, that is,  the  authority  to  teach,  to  judge,  and  to  make  laws. The promise which  our  Lord  on  this  occasion  made  to  Peter,  He  fulfilled  after His resurrection,  when  He  gave  him  the  office  of  Chief  Pastor. By this supreme  authority  Peter  became  the  visible  representative  of  our Lord Jesus  Christ  upon  earth,  and  this  Primacy  of  St.  Peter  must  needs continue so  long  as  the  Church  lasts;  in  other  words,  there  must  be successors  of  Peter.

The Pope. St.  Peter  became  the  first  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  for  that reason the  Roman  Bishop  has  ever  been  believed  to  be  the  successor of St. Peter in  the  Primacy. Hence he  is  called  the  Tope’,  i.  e.  the father of  all  the  faithful. The Papacy  therefore  is  of  divine  institution.

The Infallibility  of  the  Pope.  The  infernal  spirit  of  lies  would overcome the  Church,  if  he  could  succeed  in  diverting  her  from  the true faith,  and  plunging  her  into  error. If, therefore,  the  Church  is  to be  invincible  through  Peter  (that  is,  through  the  Papacy),  the  Pope must be  an  infallible  teacher. Even as  far  back  as  the  third  century St. Cyprian  writes:  “To  the  rock  of  Peter  no  error  can  obtain  access.”

How great  is  the  authority  of  the  Church! It is  a divine  authority. What a great  sin  it  is  to  disregard  it! Do you  faithfully  observe  the  Commandments  of  the  Church? Do you love  her  august  head  on  earth,  our  Holy  Father,  the  Pope, and pray  for  him?