Today we celebrate the dual Feast days in the Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Two of the most influential saints in spreading the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. What a diverse background on these two holy saints.
Saint Peter was with Jesus at the start of his public life as one of the twelve apostles. He was a humble fisherman from an outback region of Galilee. Peter was married as in the Bible it speaks of Jesus healing his mother-in-law.
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Peter was not without his faults and failings. In his meeting with Jesus he asks the Lord to depart from him because Peter says that he is a sinful man. Like the other apostles he often did not get Jesus’ message and it had to be explained further as seen in the gospel of Mark. There Jesus had to explain the parable of the Sower to the apostles. Peter objects when Jesus says he is going up to Jerusalem to suffer and die. Jesus rebukes him saying “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Peter’s doubt and sinking when walking on water shows his initial lack of faith and dependence on Jesus. Then during Jesus’ passion he was one of the apostles that could not stay awake with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the garden Peter draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Again Jesus rebukes him. Later Peter will deny knowing Jesus three times as Jesus had foretold. Peter was not the one apostle at the foot of the cross.
But in general Peter was a faithful follower of Jesus that loved the Lord. He was the first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. After the Resurrection he was asked three times if he loved Jesus and responded affirmatively. Peter was the Rock on whom Jesus would build his Church.
Paul on the other hand, as far as I know, did not personally know Jesus during Jesus’ earthly life. Saul, his former name, was raised Jewish, received a Jewish education, and was trained as a Pharisee. Saul was zealous in his commitment to Jewish law and tradition. He was a persecutor of the early Christians after the Ascension of Jesus. Saul oversaw the stoning of Saint Stephen. Saul sought out Christians to imprison them. On a trip to hunt down Christians Saul had a miraculous encounter with the risen Jesus in which he heard Jesus ask why do you persecute me. This led to a profound conversion and the newly named Paul became an ardent preacher of Jesus Christ and the Gospel message.
These two men gave all and suffered much to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the world. Tradition tells that they were both executed in Rome. Paul’s sufferings for the Gospel are documented in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28:
Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.)l I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches.
What stands out with these two evangelists? For one thing is there calling. They share a strong and sudden response to their calling to follow Jesus. Jesus becomes their main purpose in life. In our secular world this sort of behavior can often be labeled as obsession, fanaticism, and narrow-mindedness. The narrow-minded moniker comes from the idea that a person is not as tolerant or accepting of alternate life styles or opinions. The idea that everyone should determine their own idea of what is right and wrong. Some parts of the world still demonstrate the physical persecution and life threatening reality of following Jesus. In the western world the physical threats may not be as present but the social norms of society work to suppress and discourage this dedication and lead followers to question their commitment to the faith. To quote Jesus in Luke 12:49 “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”
The other thing that stands out is that these men were far from perfect . They denied or persecuted Jesus. Peter sought his will and not the will of God which was for Jesus’ passion and death. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus says of Peter and the others “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”. Peter lashes out striking the servant in the garden. This shows after all the years with Jesus he still did not get His message.
Paul viewed himself as one of the worst
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. – 1 Timothy 1:15
He took comfort in his weaknesses. Here Paul talks of a fault he wished he was free from
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Jesus chooses the weak, humble and broken to work with and bring about the kingdom of God. Another point is that Jesus chose these people. They did not choose him.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. – John 15:16
Jesus chooses us first and loves us first/always. If we have a desire or thought to draw closer to God that is God choosing us. He is choosing us at each moment to develop a closer relationship to him. In our human nature it can be easier to do something when personally asked to rather than when we see people asking for volunteers. We may question more if we are right or qualified for the task. But feeling wanted or needed draws us. God wants us and chooses us for a task every day. While God does not need us He thirsts for our love and an intimate relationship with us.
If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts.