The Yin and The Yang of Catholicism

"Don't canonize me too soon. I'm perfectly capable of fathering a child."

- Francis of Assisi

Where ever you look in the world of the spiritual you seem to find this natural dichotomy, two opposites in tension that create a reality through that mutual tension. 

In Eastern philosophical schools those two opposites are referred to as the yin and the yang.  Each force begets the other, each force can not exist without the other.

Tonight I attended another interesting presentation on the beliefs of Catholicism at Christ the King church.  The episode tonight was about the apostles Peter and Paul.  Mary was not mentioned.

I will offer here my own caveat, the opinions expressed herein are my own, and are intended to spark thought and introspection.  I'm also glad they no longer burn heretics.

These two saints were presented as crucial to the creation and existence of the church.  And it is because the two are a type of yin and yang of priests that they are able to do this.

Let's first consider St. Peter.  Jesus made him the leader of that band of brothers known as the 12 apostles.  Peter was entrusted with the keys of heaven.  And Jesus called him the rock on which he would build his church.

Peter was a priest's priest.  He was the foundation of the church, and as such the bearer of the status quo.  The line of popes that begin with Peter's appointment by God  must, as a function of being "a foundation," maintain tradition. 

Paul was the opposite.  After starting his career by persecuting the Christians, Paul had a divine visitation, and was converted.  He then began his second career as an evangelist.

Paul was a priest more along the shamanic lines, at least in comparison to Peter.  Paul was converted after a devastating, singular incident.  His behavior became what would have been considered odd for the times, at least odd to his friends. 

"Paul," they would have said to him in worried tones. "You've changed, dude.  Maybe you should look into one of those 12 step programs."  They would have been concerned.

Where Peter's role was to maintain, Paul's role was to disrupt.  Where Peter's role was to preserve a heritage, Paul's role was to re-invent a heritage. 

I know, but stay with me for just one second.

Because the role of Peter was concerned largely with the church as a social establishment, his base of operations was located in Rome, the center of civilization and government.  He was more static, had his pulse on the latest news.  Peter was urbane and metropolitan. 

Because the role of Paul was more concerned with spiritual awakenings he did not have a static kind of life.  Paul was on the move, he was exploring, he was interpreting a message based on the traditions of the people he evangelized.  His base of operations was Greece, the center of spirituality and philosophy. 

So we have two men, the yin and the yang of the early church.  They should also serve as archetypes for priests of today.  And it is crucial to keep in mind that these priestly archetypes can, will, and should exist within the same person.  As yin and yang each has it's moments in the sun.

The priest must fulfill the role of functionary, conserving the traditions of the faith.  At other times a priest must be able to call upon his experiences and wisdom to deal with unforeseeable circumstances and events. 

He must be bureaucrat and pioneer in one person.  He must be both warden and fellow inmate, both father and brother, both Abbot and Costello.  But not Punch and Judy.

Of course as fellow saints they both had much in common.  Their commonality is shared with all people, we're all sinners.  Yet saints have always had a way of going that extra mile in their youth when it comes to sin.

As  Soren Kierkegaard writes, "God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say.  Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners."

There is one particular image from tonight that will stick with me.  It was a photo of a statue of St. Peter, holding in his hand the key to heaven.  From the angle of this particular shot Peter is looking down at the key he holds, and the look on his face is one of shock and horror.  As if to say, "Oh dear God, don't give me this responsibility!"

But God did, and Peter accepted.  That's how God makes saints out of sinners.

Must be time for supper.  I thought I heard someone say "steak."