“Christ Came to Build His Church … Not to Write a Book”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
June 28-29, 2025
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
Pop quiz: How many of you love Scripture? Let’s try that again. I’ll give you a do-over. How many of you love Scripture? Alright, I’m seeing hands being raised. If you do not love Scripture, we need to have a chat, and it will be a one-way conversation. Scripture is the revealed Word of God. So, if you love Scripture, and you have all indicated that you do, then you must love the Church. Do you know why? Because the Church wrote it. The Church knows exactly what is in Scripture, so she can both interpret and teach it. Now, Scripture only contains what is necessary for salvation. It is not a handbook for engineering or medicine, and dinosaurs are never mentioned. Basically, the Gospel is Ecclesiology, or what the Church is. By the way, the Church is not a “what,” but a “Who.” Jesus revealed that to Paul on the road to Damascus when He said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). We are the Body of Christ, so when you persecute the Church, you are persecuting Him.
When you study Scripture, you must study it in the original language because English is a terrible language in which to study it. When I first began my work in Hospice, I went to Nancy, who was one of the nurses, and I enrolled in Nancy’s College of Medical Terminology. I asked Nancy what I needed to know so that I could become a better hospital chaplain. Nancy gave me some books and papers to read. This was because during treatment meetings, the medical staff would use all these big medical terms, and I was thankful that I could ask Dr. Google what they meant. One of the doctors said, “Father, a veteran has Cheyne-Stokes respirations. Go see him.” That is the kind of breathing you do until you don’t. So, it was essential that I learn the language used by the medical staff.
Likewise, we need to learn the words of Scripture, but we must learn them in the original language. When Jesus said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18), Jesus renamed Simon, son of John. In the Old Testament, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham to reflect his mission. So, the Apostles understood what changing Simon’s name to Peter meant, and that was when they began to feel a bit of resentment. When Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build My church,” He used the Greek word “Ecclesia,” meaning “you.” In English, the word “you” can be singular or plural. In French, there are two words that mean “you” – vous (plural) and tu (singular). That doesn’t happen in the English language. Christ said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church.” He said, “You.” He did not say “through the power of the Apostles,” as the Episcopalians claim, nor “as a profession of faith,” but rather “you” personally.
Christ came to establish and embody His Church, which has continued throughout time. The Catholic Church wrote the New Testament scripture, and it codified the Old Testament. The Jews only had the first five books of the Old Testament, but after Christ established His Church, we now have a few more. The last books of the New Testament were not written until around 90 A.D. The Church was present throughout the Roman Empire. A couple of generations of martyrs had already died for the true Faith. The book wasn’t codified until the 4th Century. Before that, we never had a book. Jesus came to establish His Church and not to write a book. It was the Catholic Church that wrote the book that became essential for salvation.
In the Old Testament, Jews were called Katoikos, meaning “settler.” In the Gospel, which was written in Aramaic, there is a Greek word, ” ekklesia,” commonly translated as “church.” There is a big difference between “settler” and “church.” Now, you older people will remember this and thank God that you are old, because many of our contemporaries never had the opportunity. Do you remember the group, Peter, Paul, and Mary? They sang “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Many people thought that “Puff” was a synonym for marijuana. Peter Yarrow, who was a member of the group and wrote the song, said, “I’m Puff’s daddy. Puff was a dragon; he was not marijuana.” Likewise, you cannot read into Scripture; you must read what is there. It’s like us when we get a pimple, and we consult Dr. Google. “Oh my God! I’ve got leprosy!” And we run to the doctor who says, “You’ve got a pimple. Go home and wash your face. Grow up. You’ll be fine.” Don’t read more into Scripture than what is there. Let the Church, which wrote it, help you interpret it.
Christ appointed Peter to build His Church. Why? Was Peter the brightest? No. That would be Luke, who was a physician. Why Peter? He was dumb as a rock, but he was the most able conduit of God’s grace. God chooses us to serve, as He did Peter, not because we are the biggest and brightest in the class, but for our ability to be a conduit of His grace.
How will you apply this message to your life? ______________________________________
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