sheep to the shepherds, the whole number of shepherds is reduced to the body
SERMON 229N 321
53:7); that the sheep might be his members, it was said of him, Behold the lamb of God, behold the one who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29). But there's tremendous courage in this lamb. Do you want to know how much courage this lamb showed? The lamb was crucified, and the lion was conquered. Just observe and consider with what power Christ must govern the world, seeing that by his death he conquered the devil.
The keys entrusted to Peter are also held by all bishops, and even by all the faithful
2. So let us love him, let there be nothing dearer to us than he. So do you imagine that the Lord is not questioning us? Was Peter the only one who qualified to be questioned, and didn't we? When that reading is read, every single Christian is being questioned in his heart. So when you hear the Lord saying Peter, do you love me ? think of it as a mirror, and observe yourself there. I mean, what else was Peter doing but standing for the Church? So when the Lord was questioning Peter, he was questioning us, he was questioning the Church.
I mean, to show you that Peter stood for the Church, call to mind that place in the gospel, You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the underworld shall not conquer her; to you will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 16:18-19). One man receives them; you see, he ex¬ plained himself what the keys of the kingdom mean: What you all bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what you all loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Mt 18:18).2 If it was said to Peter alone, Peter alone did this; he passed away, and went away;3 so who binds, who looses? I make bold to say, we too have these keys. And what am I to say? That it is only we who bind, only we who loose? No, you also bind, you also loose.4 Anybody who's bound, you see, is barred from your society; and when he's barred from your society, he's bound by you; and when he's reconciled he's loosed by you, because you too plead with God for him.
May Christ's love lead us all to where there are no more tears
3. We all love Christ, you see, we are his members; and when he entrusts the sheep to the shepherds, the whole number of shepherds is reduced to the body of the one shepherd. Just to show you that the whole number of shepherds is reduced to the one body of the one shepherd, certainly Peter's a shepherd, undoubtedly a pastor; Paul's a shepherd, yes, clearly a pastor; John's a shepherd, James a shepherd, Andrew a shepherd, and the other apostles are shepherds. All holy bishops are shepherds, pastors, yes, clearly so. And how can this be true: And there will be one flock and one shepherd (Jn 10:16)? Then if there will be one flock and one shepherd is true, the innumerable number of shepherds or pastors must be reduced to the body of the one shepherd or pastor.
But that's where you are too; you are his members. These members, when