Image: The Virgin and Child with Saints Peter and Paul | Girolamo Figino Image: The Virgin and Child with Saints Peter and Paul | Girolamo Figino Posted on 09/09/2017 6:22:49 PM PDT by Salvation
Image: The Virgin and Child with Saints Peter and Paul | Girolamo Figino
Peter (d. 64?). Saint Mark ends the first half of his Gospel with a triumphant climax. He has recorded doubt, misunderstanding, and the opposition of many to Jesus. Now Peter makes his great confession of faith: “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:29b). It was one of the many glorious moments in Peter’s life, beginning with the day he was called from his nets along the Sea of Galilee to become a fisher of men for Jesus.
The New Testament clearly shows Peter as the leader of the apostles, chosen by Jesus to have a special relationship with him. With James and John he was privileged to witness the Transfiguration, the raising of a dead child to life, and the agony in Gethsemane. His mother-in-law was cured by Jesus. He was sent with John to prepare for the last Passover before Jesus’ death. His name is first on every list of apostles.
And to Peter only did Jesus say, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so 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. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:17b-19).
But the Gospels prove their own trustworthiness by the unflattering details they include about Peter. He clearly had no public relations person. It is a great comfort for ordinary mortals to know that Peter also has his human weakness, even in the presence of Jesus.
He generously gave up all things, yet he can ask in childish self-regard, “What are we going to get for all this?” (see Matthew 19:27). He receives the full force of Christ’s anger when he objects to the idea of a suffering Messiah: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Matthew 16:23b).
Peter is willing to accept Jesus’ doctrine of forgiveness, but suggests a limit of seven times. He walks on the water in faith, but sinks in doubt. He refuses to let Jesus wash his feet, then wants his whole body cleansed. He swears at the Last Supper that he will never deny Jesus, and then swears to a servant maid that he has never known the man. He loyally resists the first attempt to arrest Jesus by cutting off Malchus’ ear, but in the end he runs away with the others. In the depth of his sorrow, Jesus looks on him and forgives him, and he goes out and sheds bitter tears. The Risen Jesus told Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21:15-17).
Paul (d. 64?). If the most well-known preacher today suddenly began preaching that the United States should adopt Marxism and not rely on the Constitution, the angry reaction would help us understand Paul’s life when he started preaching that Christ alone can save us. He had been the most pharisaic of Pharisees, the most legalistic of Mosaic lawyers. Now he suddenly appears to other Jews as a heretical welcomer of Gentiles, a traitor and apostate.
Paul’s central conviction was simple and absolute: Only God can save humanity. No human effort—even the most scrupulous observance of law—can create a human good which we can bring to God as reparation for sin and payment for grace. To be saved from itself, from sin, from the devil, and from death, humanity must open itself completely to the saving power of Jesus.
Paul never lost his love for his Jewish family, though he carried on a lifelong debate with them about the uselessness of the Law without Christ. He reminded the Gentiles that they were grafted on the parent stock of the Jews, who were still God’s chosen people, the children of the promise.
We would probably go to confession to Peter sooner than to any of the other apostles. He is perhaps a more striking example of the simple fact of holiness. Jesus says to us as he said, in effect, to Peter: “It is not you who have chosen me, but I who have chosen you. Peter, it is not human wisdom that makes it possible for you to believe, but my Father’s revelation. I, not you, build my Church.” Paul’s experience of the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus was the driving force that made him one of the most zealous, dynamic, and courageous ambassadors of Christ the Church has ever had. But persecution, humiliation, and weakness became his day-by-day carrying of the cross, material for further transformation. The dying Christ was in him; the living Christ was his life.
Greece
Saint of the Day for June 29th Ping!
Yes, I am catching up on these slowly. Thank you for your patience.
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paulinus of Nola, 06-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Romuald, 06-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for all, Venerable Matt Talbot, 06-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph Cafasso, 06-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Francis Regis, 06-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Marguerite d’Youville, 06-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Albert Chmielowski, 06-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony of Padua, 06-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Jolenta (Yolanda) of Poland, 06-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Barnabas, 06-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Joachima, 06-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ephrem, 06-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint William of York, 06-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter, 06-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Norbert, 06-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Boniface, 06-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angeline of Marsciano, 06-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, 06-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marcellinus and Peter, 06-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Justin Martyr, 06-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 05-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joan of Arc, 05-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, 05-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, 05-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine of Canterbury, 05-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Philip Neri, 05-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bede the Venerable, 05-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, 05-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory VII, 5-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All -- Saint Rita of Cascia, 05-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-21-17, Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernardine of Siena, 05-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Theophilus of Corte, 05-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John I, 05-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paschal Baylon, 05-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-16-17, Saint Margaret of Cortona
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore the Farmer, 05-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Matthias, 05-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of Fatima, 05-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Nereus and Achilleus, 05-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Laconi, 05-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i, 05-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John of Avila, 05-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter of Tarentaise, 05-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose Venerini, 05-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marian and James, 05-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hilary of Arles, 05-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Michael Giedroyc, 05-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Philip and James, 05-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Athanasius, 05-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph the Worker, 05-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pius V, 04-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Siena, 04-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Chanel, 04-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort, 04-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pedro de San José Betancur, 04-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mark, 04-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint George, 04-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Adalbert of Prague, 04-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anselm, 04-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Conrad of Parzham, 04-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, 04-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, 04-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernadette Soubirous, 04-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Caesar de Bus, 04-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Peter Gonzalez, 04-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Martin I, 04-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Los Andes, 04-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stanislaus, 04-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Magdalen of Canossa, 04-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casilda, 04-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Julie Billiart, 04-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Baptist de la Salle, 04-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Crescentia Hoess, 04-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent Ferrer, 04-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore of Seville, 04-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict the African, 04-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Paola, 04-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hugh of Grenoble, 04-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, 03-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Regalado, 03-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ludovico of Casoria, 03-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catharine of Bologna, 03-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Lazarus, 03-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Genoa, 03-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Annunciation of the Lord, 03-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, 03-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, 03-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Nicholas Owen, 03-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John of Parma, 03-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Salvator of Horta, 03-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, 03-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, 03-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Patrick, 03-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, 03-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louise de Marillac, 03-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian, 03-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Leander of Seville, 03-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angela Salawa, 03-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Ogilvie, 03-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic Savio, 03-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Frances of Rome, 03-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John of God, 03-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Perpetua and Felicity, 03-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes, 03-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Joseph of the Cross, 03-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casimir, 03-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Katharine Drexel, 03-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Agnes of Bohemia, 03-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. David of Wales, 03-01-17
BTTT for St. Peter and St. Paul.
The Twelve Apostles of the Catholic Church: St. Peter [Catholic Caucus]
Church Authority Doesn't "Peter" Out
Radio Replies Second Volume - St. Peter in Rome
Did Peter Have a Successor?
St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome
SAINT PETER'S CHAINS (44 A.D.)
Heart of the Church (St. Peter in Words and Stone)
A Saint for the Rest of Us
On This Rock
WAS ST. PETER IN ROME?
St. Peter and Rome
Did the Apostle Peter Ever Visit Rome?
Occasionally Naive and Fearful, Yet Honest and Capable of Repentance (Profile of St. Peter)
Saint Peter As Seen by His Successor (extraordinary document from B16 on his preaching and papacy)
HOMILIES PREACHED BY FATHER ALTIER ON THE FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL
Peter, Witness of the Resurrection (Papal preparations for Easter 2006)
The Fraternal Society of St. Peter on EWTN
The Primacy of Peter
Saint Peter and the Vatican, the Legacy of the Popes
Saint Peter and The Vatican - Legacy of the Popes
Another Paul - Discovery of 6th Century Image of the Apostle in Catacombs of St. Gennaro in Naples
Send us your favorite St. Paul quote [Ecumenical]
Paul and the Eucharist
Vatican used nighttime mission to gather relics from St. Paul's tomb
The Early Christians of Philippi
Benedict says bones may belong to St Paul
New Discoveries. Why St. Paul Was Given a Philosopher's Face
Basilica bones are St Paul's, Pope declares after carbon dating tests
Oldest Icon of St. Paul Discovered
Pope: St. Paul's Remains Found in Basilica
Rome Catacomb Reveals "Oldest" Image of St Paul
Rome Catacomb Reveals "Oldest" Image Of St Paul
Pope: Scientific analysis done on St. Paul's bones
Oldest Icon of St. Paul Discovered
On St. Paul and Justification
On St. Paul and the Second Coming
On St. Paul and the Resurrection
On St. Paul and the Cross
On Paul's Christology
On How St. Paul Knew Christ
St. Paul's Teaching on the Church
On Paul's Dealings With Peter
On Paul and the Other Apostles
On Paul, an Apostle of Christ
St. Paul's Faith Based Not on Conversion of Thought, but Personal Meeting With Christ, Pope Says
Paul's Conversion
[St.] Paul's Biography
On Paul's World and Time Period
Pope Benedict said to plan examination of St. Paul
The Conversion of St. Paul
Remains of St. Paul may have been found
Paul's Teaching on the Church
Vatican archaeologists unearth St. Paul's tomb
Paul's Teaching on the Holy Spirit
Paul of Tarsus, Continued: He Lives From Christ and With Christ
Paul of Tarsus: Be Imitators of Me, As I Am of Christ
HOMILIES PREACHED BY FATHER ALTIER ON THE FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL
St. Paul's Vision
Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul -- January 25
Original Sin According to Saint Paul
St. Paul the Eccentric
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