The Church is, of course, something of a shambles. My favourite illustration of that is the Blessed Sacrament Procession. In the old days, an elegantly suited gent, carrying a severe looking rod, used to direct the procession, and, to the nearest inch, everyone knew their place. It was, of course, a great expression then of how we regarded things, a disciplined group marching with its Lord in its midst. Now, however, we have learnt to speak and think of the "pilgrim Church" (or shambles). And look at the Procession now: all sorts and shapes of humans are there, the sick, the sinful, the markedly batty, and the slightly insane. There are those who drift, with mildly curious gaze, and to the helpless fury of some, right through the positions reserved for this or that group. Bishops and priests turn up in all sorts of unexpected places, and the procession seems to change every day. And yet it works; this glorious shambles is a limping, praying, sinning, loving, gathering of the People of God round its Lord, which proclaims the rule of God, and somehow goes from A to B, and puts the sick right there where God wants them, at the top of the list. And it should not alarm us that the Church is a shambles, because the Church is us, and we are fools and sinners, and what else can you expect? But look what God makes of us…
Scripture reading
Matthew 16: 13-23
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he said to his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."