We have been journeying through Ordinary time these past several weeks since the end of the Easter season. But during that time, we have celebrated the solemnities of the Most Holy Trinity and the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ these last couple of Sundays, and today we have another great solemnity that celebrates Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles. We honor all of the apostles with feast days, but of all the apostles, Peter and Paul hold a special significance in the development of our faith. There are many lessons we can learn from them.
The first thing we can learn from Saints Peter and Paul is that even in the midst of our human frailties and weaknesses, God calls us to serve him and his people. We hear of the great faith of these two saints in today’s readings. In the Gospel, we hear of Peter’s recognition of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, at a time when most everyone else in Ancient Israel still had not figured Jesus out. We hear Paul reflect in his second letter to Timothy about how his life is coming to an end, how he sees his life as having been poured out as a sacrificial drink offering to God, how he sees himself as having kept the faith throughout his journey of life. However, in addition to admiring Peter and Paul for being men of great faith, perseverance, and sacrifice, we also see in Scripture the times that they fell victim to their weaknesses. In Scripture, we hear about their doubts and their human frailties. For example, on the eve of Jesus’ passion, as Jesus was leaving the last supper with his apostles, Peter tells Jesus that he will never have his faith in him shaken. But, then, Peter denies Jesus three times before the rooster crows. With Paul, before his conversion to the faith, in his zeal in following Jewish law, Paul oppressed Christians by persecuting them, sometimes to their death.
Perhaps we can relate to Peter and Paul in this same way in our own journey of faith. There are times when we can be courageous and steadfast in our faith. Yet, in our weaknesses, we also can deny Jesus like Peter did, both in words and in actions, and in our failure to follow God’s law. In our frailties and our pride, we can fail to humble ourselves before the Lord just like Paul before his conversion.
In addition, we can see in Peter and Paul individuals with different backgrounds and different ways in responding to God’s call. Yet, both of them were able to work in ministry together, to build up the Kingdom of God in the Early Church and to bring others to the faith. Peter was called to be a disciple out of his work as a fisherman. He probably did not have much formal education. He was an original member of the group of Apostles who journeyed with Jesus in his earthly ministry. Peter served as a leader in the Early Church right after Christ’s death and resurrection, serving the interests of the Jewish followers of Christ in the tensions that existed with the Gentiles and the Jews who chose not to follow the Way of Jesus. But, in many of ways, Paul was the opposite of Peter. Paul was intellectual and well-educated, a member of the privileged class of Pharisees. He did not know Jesus during Jesus’ life here on earth. Paul felt called to bring the Good News to all, to break down the barriers that kept the Gentiles from joining the Way of Jesus.
Both Peter and Paul could be bold and direct. They clashed and they argued at times, but they were both effective leaders in the Church. Despite their differences, they both greatly influenced the faith that we practice today. They both lived out their faith and died courageously for the faith.
As we close religious freedom week today in our celebration of Peter and Paul, let us hear the call to follow in their footsteps to be missionaries and to be true to the Gospel, to be true to the calling God has for each one of us.
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