Reflections on life, meaning and purpose

The early Christians saw popes martyred regularly. We don’t, and so we tend to forget the enormous sacrifices Jesus asks of our shepherds…..

In the Gospel for the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A), Jesus gives the keys to the kingdom to Peter. From the very beginning of the Church, Christians understood that this gives Peter incredible authority. We know that too. But we may have forgotten something just as important: They saw popes martyred regularly; we don’t — and so we tend to forget the enormous sacrifices Jesus asks Christian leaders to make.