“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church.”

There are many stories about Peter and his ups and downs with his faith and feeling unworthy. For example, in Luke 5: 5-10 Peter was upset about having to cast his nets again after not catching anything all night. Reluctantly, though, he did it and brought home a boatload of fish. After he reached Jesus on the shore, we hear that Peter fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Another example was in last week’s Gospel reading from Matthew, Peter’s faith was strong enough to get out of the boat and step out onto the water, but he got frightened and had to call out for Jesus to save him for he “was of little faith.” However, knowing all this, Jesus still names Peter as the rock on which His church is to be built. This should be a sign to us all that no matter how we, like Peter, are flawed and falter. As long as we humble ourselves, repent, and ask for forgiveness, Jesus will continue to give us grace and build His kingdom upon each of us. Through that grace, we are called to go and open the doors to the church and show His blessings to all those we meet and welcome them.

We do this by remembering, the definition of the “Four Marks of the Church” that we recite every mass in the Nicene Creed:

Firstly, it is one, and all members are united in their belief, worship, sacraments, tradition, and leadership.

Second, the Church is holy because our Lord established it and continues to share His divine life– His grace– with its members. In turn, the Church continues the mission of Christ with each member striving to live a Christ-like life in accord with His teachings and with the help of His grace.

Third, the Church is Catholic (meaning “universal”) because it is destined to last for all time, and all the faithful on earth are united with the faithful in heaven and the souls in purgatory.

Finally, the Church is apostolic because Christ founded it upon the apostles, giving the authority to St. Peter, the first Pope, and the other apostles, the first bishops.

“This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him. Therefore, even though a visitor might not be a regular part of the community of that particular parish, in a sense they are because of their membership in the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.”

{Father William P. Saunders, Catholic Straight Answers.}

In order for us to be the church Jesus wanted, we must remember to do as he taught us: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples; if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)