So, tell me, why didn't The Church "harmonize" Paul's writings, too, while they were at it? Just, think, they might have avoided the Reformation and all us filthy Protestants!!! ;o)
a) The Church read scriptures liturgically in a cycle at least from the third century onward. God only knows what was read and how before that, but I would chance to bet that the traditional Churches are closer to the ancient custom then the newly invented man-made religions. In the Orthodox Church it is still annual and in the post-Vatican II Catholic Church tri-annual.
b) The readings are select verses from the Pauline Epistles and the Gospels which repeat every cycle. The Novus Ordo Catholic Church also reads liturgically from the Old Testament (the Orthodox only at Vespers).
c) The Orthodox Church chants the entire Old Testament during the Great Lent (40 days) in passing, without homilies, in what is more a biblical retelling of events leading up to Jesus' birth and crucifixion and resurrection then actual Bible reading.
d) Pauline Epistles are read by laity and are not considered the word of God (and the congregation sits). The Gospels are read by ordained clergy only and are treated as God's own words (and the congregation stands).
e) The Church teachings are based on the Gospels, and Pauls' Epistle sare interpreted in the light of and subjected to the Gospels. Paul's Epistles are selectively used when they are in agreement with the Gospels.
f) Paul's writings are clearly "harmonized" in the Nicene Creed in the beginning (where it adds to Paul's words that the Father and the Son are of the same essence) as well as in the part where it says that Christ raised himself (rather than being raised by God, as Paul says), indicating that Paul was "close" but not on the mark.
From all this, it is clear that Paul's words in the Church are never to be confused with Christ's, or perchance placing Paul above the Gospels, as the Protestants do (and as their Gnostics relatives did).
They did, however, the early Church considered the writings of and about individual men to be lesser than the writings of the life and actions of Christ to be more important and therefore the focus of greater attempts at harmonization than any of the Epistles or Revelation. That is the focus of the Church - Christ. Not Paul, nor any individual man. Our understanding of Peter's role is as steward in the classical sense, not as ruler and not as despot. A bishop is the physical representative of the real ruler - Christ. The bishop is supposed to be servant to the people in his area. Hence, the reference of the Pope as the servant of the servants of God.