What Makes a Pillar

Saints Peter and Paul are called the pillars of the Catholic Church. Peter is the "rock upon which the Church is built" (Mt 16:18) and Paul is the "chosen vessel through whom the Gospel is proclaimed to all nations" (Acts 9:15).

We usually think of a pillar as a rock, strong, sturdy, heavy. Are these the reasons why Peter and Paul are called pillars of our faith? Because they are strong, sturdy?

On the surface, it seems they were strong, but we know that their weaknesses got the better of them too. Their being "pillars of the Church" must be for some other reason.

In the post-resurrection encounter between Jesus and Peter, Jesus asks him: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” And Peter confesses his love for Christ, knowing fully well how he failed the Lord.

Paul, for his part, declares: “Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If any other man thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:4, 7-8)

Hence, it is their love, their love for Christ that made them pillars of our Church; their strength comes from their love for Christ.

What's the source of your strength?

We pray that like Peter and Paul, we may find in Christ our pillar of strength.