"AS WE celebrate them, let us imitate them!" Peter and Paul are our first and best teachers. They are sure guides for our once made journey. If we listen and obey we will come safely home. The feast of the apostles awakens us to truth.
We open our Gospels anew. In spirit we walk once more the roads of Galilee and the streets of Jerusalem with eager, impetuous Peter at our side. We listen to Jesus with ears attentive and with heart made clean. At the wedding feast of Cana we share the abundant wine as Mary says to us: "Whatever he says to you...do it!"
We arrive with the glad 5,000 renewed with gracious miracle and sustaining food. We gaze with Peter in wonder at the haul of fishes from the much loved lake. We unite in words of thanks at the instant cure of Peter's mother in law and share her meal of gratitude and praise. We climb the heights of majestic Tabor and call on the transfigured Christ. We too cry: "Lord it is good for us to be here!" We treasure that moment for all the years to come: "This is my beloved Son, listen to him!"
Peter would have passed on to Paul further memories of the saving sacrament; of the words spoken, of the bread broken and of the wine poured out on that most holy vigil of Good Friday.
We go with Peter to the Garden and remember the agony and the prayer. We fail so often. We deny the truth and betray those most deserving of loyalty and love.
For us the cock will crow as each dark night gives way to shining, hope filled dawn. The merciful Lord will turn and look on us that we too may weep with tears of hopefilled sorrow and be made clean from every stain.
Each day we share in Peter's Easter joy. The glad news goes to all: "The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. "Only Christ can give meaning to our fleeting lives. Peter leads to the truth that sets us free. In the upper room he joined the other disciples in fellowship and prayer, in the Breaking of the Bread, and with Mary the Mother of Jesus. The coming of the Paraclete made all things new.
Peter welcomed 3,000 to baptism. His shadow falling over the sick brought healing and new hope. The crippled beggar at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple called for alms. "Silver and gold I have not got, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk!"
He asked in faith and miracles occurred. A martyr's death in Rome crowned his life of generous service: "No greater love than this..."
Paul's call to serve was indeed most strange. Caravaggio's dramatic picture captures for us the sudden conversion on the Damascus road. The history of the world would never be the same. His amazing zeal and total dedication to Christ blaze out in his arousing letters that teach us and inspire. His three astounding journeys show us how he faced toil and terror. His ambition was that Christ's redeeming love be made known to all.
Christ's Death and Resurrection are central to his teaching. The saving victory over sin and death lights up his letters with unconquerable hope. The Rising of Christ is forever the sign and the cause of our personal resurrection, to life eternal. By this light we live.
He comforts us by revealing his weakness and his struggle. Like us he could see the nobler things of life and readily approve. Yet in weakness he too, like us, could fail. He turned to Christ more resolutely still and never abandoned his ideal: "I live now . . . not I - but Christ lives in me. . . Jesus Christ, yesterday, today and the same forever!" He gives powerful reminders that all of us are one in Christ. In a human body all organs link together in living unity. No one part survives alone. A secure house needs sure foundation. We are one, and founded on Christ. To illustrate the love of Christ for all of us he points to the wondrous love of wife and husband - forever faithful land lasting to the end.
Some, sadly, have written of Saint Paul as ignoring women. Wilfred Harrington OP, a Scripture scholar of international repute, shows that this view is groundless: "Paul had a profound appreciation of the role of women in Christian ministry. The offensive texts were nonPauline letters. The apparent exception (Cor. 14:34-35) is an interpolation. In fact, the number of women who figure in Paul's authentic letters is impressive."
(Scripture in Church, June 1997, Dominican Publications.)
in Paul asks us to speak the truth love. Like him, may we speak
My we live it. "May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened that we may know the hope to which Christ has called us!"