THOU ART PETER...
The Provost writes:

        The Gospel this weekend contains more words that we can see written up (in Latin) in our church. This time we need to look up into the dome, and there we can read: “Tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam...” and so forth. These words are at the very heart of today's passage and they are the word addressed by Our Lord to St Peter, in response to words that Peter himself had uttered.

        Our Lord asked His followers what people thought about Him – who did they think He was? The disciples produce a variety of opinions, reflecting the different ideas people had about this extraordinary figure who was teaching and performing miracles. It was St Peter who spoke up with the answer that contained the truth: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” This answer is at the central point of Christian revelation. It is not something that can be deduced by human logic or reasoning – it is God Himself who revealed this. It is an example of what St Thomas Aquinas talked about centuries later in his hymn: “Truth itself speaks truly, else there's nothing true.”

        Each generation, each individual, has to face up to the question about who Jesus is. Each person has to decide for or against Him. Depending on what sort of an answer we give, the whole of the rest of our lives takes shape. If we think that Jesus of Nazareth was just some holy man, some ethical guide or wise teacher, then we might feel free to accept, amend or reject the teachings and example left us. Many choose to do just that. However, if like St Peter, our hearts and minds accept God's truth in all its freshness and beauty, and we joyfully acknowledge Him as the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, then everything changes. It might not change all at once – after his great profession of faith Peter went on to deny Our Lord, before being restored to His friendship. But, in the last analysis, like St Peter, like the other Apostles, like countless men and women down the centuries, we will be prepared to risk everything for that faith we have received. We will want to spread it around us; we will want to make sure others receive that precious gift; we will want to defend it, even to shedding our blood if necessary, so that it might be preserved intact. All this flows from answering a question one way rather than another!

        The other important area which flows from St Peter's answer concerns the very nature of the Church. The Church rests on the rock of Peter and Peter rests on the Rock of Christ. It is the job of Peter to bind and to loose, to confirm his brethren in the faith. This means that it is a fundamental aspect of the Church to be able to teach with authority, to say that such and such a thing is right and that such and such a thing is wrong. In our faith and morals we have a sure guide in the person of St Peter and his successors the Popes, and in the College of Bishops, the successors of the Apostles. This magisterium, this teaching authority, is vital, so that amidst the varying fashions and fads of the times, we can rely on a sure guide to lead us safely home. This Sunday's readings provide us with an ideal opportunity to pray for St Peter's successor, Pope Benedict XVI, as he seeks to teach, guide and sanctify the Church today.

        Many thanks to all of you who have contributed to the funds for the Sarcophagus for Cardinal Newman's remains. To date some £8500 has come in. This is a good start – all contributions will be gratefully received. The Architects tell me that the stonemasons have identified a suitable piece of marble at the quarry in Carrara, Italy. I hope to receive photos of it this week.

        Mentioning shrines, I expect many of you will have spotted the picture of St Paul which has gone up in church to mark the special Pauline Year. I hope you approve and that it will be a focus for our prayers. Some of the Fathers remarked that it looked as if it had always been there, which I take as a compliment!