The Difference Between Jesus and the Church

There are several constants in human nature. The desire for hope is among them. The desire to understand phenomena beyond our understanding. And then there is one that is not so poetic. That is: If you look hard enough you'll never be short on things you can criticize in another being, society, race, or church. I could use another, very simplistic way of putting this. I think it's interesting the number of people who not only see the glass as half empty but who want to see the glass of half empty. That could be why I feel somewhat, not uncomfortable, that sounds too politically correct and touchy feely, but why I feel somewhat sad for someone who can only see the bad in things.

Now lets get to the real tenets of this essay.

You probably know what the why? game is. It's when a little kid will say to you "why do animals eat other animals?" for example. And you say, "well its part of the food chain," The child responds, "why is it part of the food chain?" you give another explanation which prompts another why question. This usually ends in the adult giving up and saying "I don't know" or "just be quiet for a while".From discussing these things with people who I know, I am well aware that if you play the, why? game you get back to Peter. Peter! The great figure molded in bronze in the illustrious basilica which bears his name. The statue whose toes have become worn down from pilgrims kissing it over the centuries. That Peter? Nope. Although some people think that.

I'm talking about the Peter who was a dirty old fisherman. Who spent entire days getting sunburned and doing any necessary human functions on a fishing boat. I'm talking about the guy who acted all tough and said, "Jesus, I'm your man. I got you're back. Anybody try to mess with you, they're messin' with me. I'll beat their ass if they come around with a cross in the back of the pickup." Only a few hours later, Jesus Christ was captured, Peter brought up all his courage to do the wrong thing. He used violence. Jesus told him not to and as soon as Jesus was gone, Peter was off in the opposite direction. People even asked him later, "aren't you a follower of the Jesus of Nazareth?" Peter's response was a vigorous, "No way. Are you kidding me?"

Does anybody reading this see a pattern between the Jesus/Peter relationship and the Jesus/Church relationship.

We're just regular people, no matter how much we can dress up. We can work hard and maybe catch more fish than anybody else, metaphorically. We're always going to be dirty old fishermen. We're always...going...to...be...human. Some of us act all tough in the Catholic Church and tell Jesus we'll stick with Him. Some succeed, some fail, and its interesting that the ones who succeed are the ones who succeed most quietly, most of the time. Some readers of this may be very well versed in the faults and transgressions of the Church. For others, I will give this idea of those who act tough in parallel to the actions of Pope Urban and the proclamation of the glorious crusades to go fight for Jesus Christ. Oh, Peter and his successors, sometimes they don't get it. Sometimes pontiffs don't understand for the entire extent of their lifetime. Maybe even scores of popes were in there for the glory or for the glory of violence. The demigod status was manipulated by Alexander VI and the lets go kill things was used in the name of Christ by the warrior Pope Julius II.

The real way of sticking with Jesus is what John the Apostle did. He stuck with Jesus not by dying fighting but by being near Him and comforting HIm and His mother as much as he could. Throughout the entire narrative of this in the gospel, there is very little said of him. He's the one who succeeded, the quiet way.

But lets not forget Peter. As he runs away he hears the rooster crow like Jesus foretold and cried himself to sleep like a little baby. He ran to the tomb when Mary Magdalen said Jesus had risen. Guess who beat him though. John. The quiet one. But Peter new that something big was afoot. He was so ashamed when Jesus visited him and asked DO YOU LOVE ME? Three times Jesus asked and three times Peter answered the same.

How about that, the guy just died for you, you deserted him, you want his forgiveness and he asks you not once but three times if you love Him. I'd feel pretty bad. And then Jesus says it: FEED MY LAMBS FEED MY SHEEP.

That's all there is to say. Peter failed. The Church has failed. Peter got up again and Jesus still loved him and still wanted a flawed individual to lead his people. The Church gets up again (John XXIII, John Paul II, Benedict, Pius X) and Jesus stills loves her (it is referred to in the feminine) and wants her to lead his people.

That's the most beautiful part of the Church. That the greatest love for God is failing and using all your heart and strength to get to Him again. It wouldn't be nearly as beautiful if nobody failed.

Jesus was perfect.

People are not.

Peter was not.

The Church is not.

And that's the beauty of it all...