Following in Giant Footsteps: The Courage of Saint Linus

Let us begin with prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank You for the faithful witnesses who have gone before us, especially Saint Linus, who courageously accepted the call to lead Your Church in its earliest days. Grant us wisdom as we reflect on his example and strength to follow Christ faithfully in our own callings. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Today we commemorate Saint Linus, Pope and Martyr, whose feast day reminds us of the early Church's struggles and triumphs. History tells us that Linus served as the second Pope, immediately following Saint Peter himself. Imagine the weight of that responsibility - to step into the shoes of the man whom Christ called "the rock" upon which He would build His Church. Linus lived during the brutal persecution under Emperor Nero, when being a Christian meant risking everything, and being a Church leader meant almost certain martyrdom.

 

Picture yourself in Linus's position for a moment. Peter had just been crucified upside down in Rome, his blood still fresh on the soil of the eternal city. The Christian community was scattered, afraid, and looking for leadership. And you - Linus - are asked to take Peter's place. Not just any leader's place, but Peter's. The impetuous fisherman who walked on water, who declared Jesus to be "the Christ, the Son of the living God," who received the keys to the kingdom of heaven directly from our Lord's hands. How do you follow someone like that? As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:5 (ESV-CE), "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God." Linus must have felt the crushing weight of inadequacy, the fear of not measuring up, the anxiety of leading during such dangerous times. Yet he said yes, trusting in God's sufficiency rather than his own abilities.

 

Let us turn to the words of Christ that established this sacred office that Linus inherited. In Matthew 16:18-19, Jesus declares: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." These weren't just words spoken to Peter alone - they established a sacred trust that would be passed down through apostolic succession. When Linus accepted the papal office, he wasn't just taking on an administrative role; he was accepting the keys of the kingdom, the authority to bind and loose, the responsibility to ensure that the gates of hell would not prevail against Christ's Church.

 

Linus faced a unique challenge that no future Pope would experience in quite the same way. He had to establish papal authority while the memory of the first Pope was still vivid and fresh. He couldn't simply copy Peter's style - he had to be authentically himself while faithfully carrying forward the apostolic mission. Historical accounts suggest that Linus was a gentle, scholarly man - quite different from the bold, sometimes brash Peter. Yet this wasn't a weakness; it was Providence. As 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (ESV-CE) reminds us: "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone." The early Church needed different kinds of leadership for different seasons.

 

How often do we find ourselves in Linus's position? Perhaps you've been asked to take over a ministry after a beloved leader stepped down. Maybe you're the new parish council member following someone who served for decades. Or perhaps you're a parent trying to fill the role of a spouse who has passed away. The temptation is always the same - to try to become a copy of our predecessor. But God doesn't call us to be copies; He calls us to be faithful. As Jeremiah 1:7-8 (ESV-CE) shows us: "But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, "I am only a youth"; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.'" Linus teaches us that we can honor those who came before us while still being authentically ourselves in service to Christ.

 

Let us close by asking Saint Linus to intercede for us. Saint Linus, faithful successor of Peter, you who courageously accepted the call to lead Christ's Church in its most vulnerable hour, pray for us. Intercede for our Holy Father, that he may lead with wisdom and courage. Pray for our bishops, priests, and deacons, that they may shepherd God's people with gentle strength. And pray for each of us, that when we are called to step into roles of service - whether great or small - we may respond with the same faithful "yes" that you gave. Help us to trust not in our own abilities, but in Christ's promise that His grace is sufficient for every task He sets before us. Saint Linus, Pope and Martyr, pray for us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. -F.D.