People with an anti-authoritarian outlook often look down on the gift of Church authority with suspicion. In spite of the evidence from Scripture and Church history, some may have doubts about the nature and scope of Church authority. Our experience of the abuse of power by political authorities may be one reason. Protestant misconception of Catholic "misplaced worship" of Church, Pope, Mary and saints may have added more fuel to our doubts.

The missions of John the Baptist, Barnabas and Paul and even of Jesus himself, had a fragmentary potentiality. Their acceptance of authority and their submission to the Spirit healed and transformed the diversities into richness. Unless there is an underlying radical unity, the beauty of diversity fades. In spite of problems and conflicting affiliations, Christians held the unity of the "Body of Christ" for the first ten centuries. St Pius V became a symbol of Christian unity in the sixteenth century. The Gospel reading asks us to be united in our service as servants of God's mission, following our Master's ways and not giving into infidelity, pride and selfishness.