The Solemnity of St Peter and St Paul

 Today's feast helps us to realize that the Catholic Church is, like the Holy Trinity itself, not a monolithic unity but a dynamic and synthetic unity. This is perspective is assisted by the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar which was given magisterial approval by Pope St John Paul II in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, when the Church teaches of the Petrine and Marian dimensions of the Church (CCC 773). It is significant that St Peter's Square, in the Vatican City, has a statue of St Peter on one side and a statue of St Paul on the other. The keys and the sword stand together.  In this theology, which was designed to affirm the unity of the Catholic Church, the Petrine dimension refers to the juridical and hierarchical nature of the Church while the Pauline dimension is the missionary aspect of the Church. the other dimensions include the Marian, which is the holiness of the Church and Johannine, which is the contemplative dimension. In my opinion, one could also add the Judas dimension, which is the sinful aspect of the Church, although this was never intended by the Lord. The stability and institutional memory of the Petrine dimension is given energy and exothermal energy by the missionary zeal of the Pauline. Neither of these is perfect. Both of them look to Mary. In the second reading for today, Paul is writing in the context of a failing relationship with the churches in Galatia. The Gospel speaks of Peter meeting risen Christ after betraying him of Good Friday. In conclusion, we have the picture of the Apostles shaking hands to express their unity and affirm the holy order of the Universal Mission of the Church given by the Lord in the Great Commission (Mtt 28: 19--20): "... when they (Peter, James, brother of the Lord, and John) saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised. just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the Gentiles) and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised." (Gal 2: 7-10)