Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

 "Jesus asked His disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?'  They replied, 'Some say, John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'  He said to them, 'But who do you say I am?' Simon Peter said in reply, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus said to him in reply, 'I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.' " --[Matthew 16: 13-19].


The Feast of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Apostles.


I look at the history of the Christian Church and I marvel at her billions of adherents. There are an estimated 2.18 billion Christians in the world today.  It is estimated that there will be 3 billion Christians by the middle of this century. [CBN.com].

This did not happen overnight, and it did not happen without a struggle. First, the Romans believed that by killing Jesus, they would get rid of this "Messiah problem".

That strategy only fueled the fire of Jesus' followers. Emboldened by the Holy Spirit, and outraged by Jesus' Crucifixion, Jesus' followers only grew stronger and more numerous.

Only thirty years after Jesus' death, Christianity was solidifying over vast stretches of the Old World.

God could not do this alone, however; He needed human spreaders of the Faith.

We know that St. Peter and St. Paul, as two of the most seminal prophets and Saints. But in some ways, it was astonishing that God selected them.

Paul was one of the worst persecutors of Christians, before his Conversion. He was the leader of a large group of people who hunted down and assaulted Christians. In Acts 7: 57-59, Paul, (at that time known as Saul), "was consenting to the death" [of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who was stoned to death.]  "Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the church [in Jerusalem]; entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment." -- Acts 8: 1-3.

And Peter? Jesus predicted at The Last Supper that Peter would deny Jesus three times before the cock crowed the next morning. [Mt. 26;33-35; Mark: 14:29-31; Luke 22:33-34; and John 13:36-38.]  As predicted, Peter's denials came true.

Paul called himself "the least of the Apostles". And yet, Paul also became one of the greatest martyrs for the Faith. In 2 Corinthians 11: 23- 27, Paul says, "Are they servants of Christ? I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. " Paul talks about being shipwrecked, beaten with rods, pelted with stones, constantly on the move, in danger from rivers, from bandits, from fellow Jews, from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in the country and at sea, in danger from false believers, hungry and thirsty, cold and naked, and without sleep."

 As depicted in Acts 12:1-11,  King Herod had "James, brother of John, killed by the sword, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. . . Peter [was] secured by double chains."

And yet, Peter became "the rock of the Church", the Apostle whose reign runs straight to the Pope we have today, in the Catholic Church.

All of this history gives me some perspective on the contemporary zeal for "The New Evangelization".

First, we do not need to be Perfect in order to be called to evangelize. Paul was not perfect. Peter was not perfect. This gives me hope.

Often, I ask myself, 'WHY would God choose ME?' I grew up in a family of virulent non-believers, even blasphemers. Sometimes I think, well, God must have a superb sense of Irony! Or the greatest sense of humor ever!

Sometimes I wonder, 'How did I ever make myself open enough to receive God?'  Reading the Bible helps. Or attending Church. Or leaning on Him in times of trouble. Or, simply trying to love and forgive or endure like Jesus.

Not all of us can be impassioned preachers. Or the greatest Gospel singer ever, selling millions of CD's or winning Grammys.

I think it takes simply showing our Love each day, in countless ways. Many critics of religion want to catch us in the act of doing something mean or petty, then they say, "And she calls herself a Christian!"

I want to be caught time and again, carrying out simple acts of kindness with Peace and Love in my heart. After all, we Catholics always cross ourselves at head, lips and heart at the reading of the Gospel.

With Head, Lips and Heart, we carry forth Jesus' example and God's Word. We are ALL Apostles!


[Related Postings: "Ready For God", November 8, 2011; " The Sensation of Evil",  December 16, 2012].

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