What’s it all about . . ?

Some of you may be old enough to remember the song ‘What's it all about, Alfie ?’

Well, today is, for me, a day to ask myself exactly that question : what is the feast of Ss Peter & Paul all about for me ?

The answer, for me, is this : I became a Catholic because I came to realize that it’s very easy to believe in something; but without a touchstone, how can you be sure that what you believe is what Our Lord wants you to believe ? Of course there are many churches; and most of them are extremely vociferous about that is right and what is wrong : but the problem is that none of them is able to justify its position. As I once said about a leading figure in the creation of a new bible-based local community church ‘I am quite sure from my own experience that he is both devout and thoughtful; and I have no doubt that he seeks to follow the teachings of Christ faithfully and scrupulously according to his lights. What I cannot believe is that, having apparently wholly failed to do so for well-nigh two thousand years, Almighty God should now suddenly feel inclined to give the fullness of His revelation solely to my former PE teacher !’

So how do you know what you're meant to believe ? Well, the answer is ultimately a simple one : ‘Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia’ – God’s Church is the one which is in the hands of S. Peter; which means, of course, in communion with the Apostolic See.

Just how I came to the full realization of that vital truth isn’t particularly important; but get there I did, so that for me today is a very important day, as I hear the Mass of Saints Peter & Paul, and contemplate the security one gains from knowing that one is indisputably part of the Church which Christ founded . . . the ark of salvation which He offers to us all.

May all my followers and readers be much blessed today; and may Almighty God also richly bless His Church, and our Holy Father Pope Benedict the successor of Peter.