Does Biblical evidence exist for the Catholic Church's claim that the Pope is Christ's Vicar here on earth? Yes, beginning with whenever the Twelve Apostles are named in the Bible, Peter, the first Pope, always heads the list. Father Chris Alar, MIC, explains that, in order for there to be unity, every institution has to have a leader, and the Roman Catholic Church, with the Pope as her leader, is the oldest continuously running institution in the history of the world.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 12:39–48), Jesus calls us to vigilance—to be faithful stewards who live every moment ready for the coming of the Lord. “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,” He says. That same spirit of responsibility and readiness defined one of the greatest saints of our time: St. John Paul II.