As in the Old Covenant, so in the New.
Throughout salvation history, God has always led his people through human leadership structures that he has ordained. From the patriarchs, to the kings, to the scribes and the Pharisees in the Old, to the apostles, to their successors the bishops, and also the ministerial priests in the New.
Leadership
Some Christians argue that Jesus is the only mediator between them and the Father (1 Tim. 2:5), and yet this same Jesus appointed St. Peter in particular and the apostles in general to oversee his Church, including through binding and loosing that he promised would be backed up in heaven (Matt. 16:18–19; 18:15–18). And he conveyed that this leadership structure would be continued in successive generations, beginning with Matthias, who replaced Judas (Acts 1:15–26).
Sometimes, as we have seen in the clerical sexual abuse scandal, priests and bishops who commit grave wrongdoing forfeit—or should forfeit—their active ministry. Most of the time, however, they continue in their leadership positions, because their sins and other failures don’t rise to that level of gravity. In any event, how can we call them on to—and support them in—holy leadership?
As with the scribes and Pharisees of yesteryear, whom we read about in today’s Gospel, bishops and priests exercise lawful authority while in office. Obviously, their authority is not absolute. They must follow Church teaching and discipline. And when they fail to do so, in one way or another, many lay people are inclined to respond like St. John the Baptist reproving Herod (Matt. 14:3–5), or Jesus driving the money changers from the Temple (Matt. 21:12–13).
Heed the Lord’s Advice
However, none of us is the Incarnate Word, judging perfectly in righteous anger as only Jesus the God-man can. Instead, we should heed our Lord’s advice in living the Gospel, including in seeking to reprove those in leadership:
“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt. 23:11–12)
If attempting to correct a priest or bishop (including possibly even the Pope), speak the truth, but do so in humble charity, a hallmark of a Christian peacemaker (Matt. 5:9; Rom. 5:1; Phil. 4:4–7). You’ll more likely be heard. Witness St. Catherine of Siena, who, in the latter fourteenth century, persuaded Pope Gregory XI to leave Avignon, France, and return to the Church’s leadership base in Rome.
Divinely Established Offices
Always respect the office of priest and bishop, because they are divinely established offices; and let your priests and bishops know that you’ll stand in solidarity as they promote the good and remedy the bad. Yes, humbly remind them that will include charitable reproof when needed but remember that our only incontrovertible enemies are the devil and his demonic minions (Eph. 6:10–12).
Also, take joy in in addressing priests and bishops as spiritual fathers. Jesus is not issuing a moral absolute in Matthew 23:9 but using hyperbole—as with the title “rabbi” (23:5–8)—to simply convey that we shouldn’t seek honorific titles and other pride-driven praise. Were it otherwise, St. Paul would not refer to himself as a spiritual father (1 Cor. 4:14–15; see 1 John 2:12–14).
Finally, the Pope’s title—”the Servant of the Servants of God”—is rooted in Jesus’s exhortation in Matthew 23:11.
Thanks much, brother!🙏🏻✝️😇
Amen, brother.