Who's the Rock? Who Builds the Church?

Who is the Rock that Christ referred to? Wasn't it Peter?

Then, who builds the Church? Isn't it Christ? Believe it or not, Christ does it. The fact that the Catholic Church still exists today is evidence enough for that.

Just read on...

Pope Benedict XVI holds the papal staff while leading a procession prior to an open-air Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 16, 2008. (Photo courtesy of Christus Vincit at Flickr).

The Gospel Today
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

For more than 2,000 years now, the Roman Catholic Church holds the unbroken chain of Popes who have been the successors of Peter in leading the Church through the times.

Not all stories about these Popes are pleasant to the ears. But one thing is clear, the "gates of the netherworld" has not prevailed against the Catholic Church. It remains the biggest and most highly organized among the believers of Christ in the modern world.

That's not to brag, however. The Catholic Church has its own challenges in present times. Its anti-contraception stance has alienated many of the Catholic faithfuls who make choices about family economics and Church teachings.

In the Philippines, the strong stance of the Church against contraception has conributed in no small measure to the controversy within Couples for Christ about accepting donations from pharmaceutical companies that manufactures contraceptives. That controversy ultimately led to the split within Couples for Christ, and later, the relinquishing of the Couples for Christ International Council of their membership in the Gawad Kalinga Board of Directors.

All these happen not without pain, emotionally and spiritually. Catholics do not have to mind the controversies that rock Christiandom as a whole. A Catholic easily has his hands full even within the Catholic Church itself, its parishes, its programs and its communities.

Does Christ really build the Church?

We know by faith that He does.

And this Builder says, "the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."

Allow me to end this post with a prayer each Catholic is very familiar with (all emphases mine)...

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
And in Jesus Christ
His only Son, Our Lord
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit
Born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
Was crucified, died and was buried.
On the third day, he rose again
He ascended into Heaven
and is seated at the right hand
of God, the Father Almighty.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the Communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.

Christ does His part, doesn't He?

The question is ... are we doing our part?