My Thoughts on 29/06/2021

We are celebrating today the feast day of Peter and Paul – two very different men. A fisherman and and tent maker. Peter comes to the faith slowly and steadily. As someone said “coming to the faith with two steps forward and one backwards.” He denies Jesus three times and confesses his faith three times. Paul, a Roman citizen, comes to faith dramatically on his way to persecute Christians in Damascus.

They are sometimes seen as two pillars of the Church. In one of the many icons of these apostles shows them embracing, expressing their unity in Christ.

“We find two immovable guides, a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, one pointing to the gathering, the communion of faithful, the joining of the body, the stable and solid hierarchy of the church;  and one pointing to Christ’s great commission, the announcing of the Word,  the martyrs, the ascetics and those fools of God that sacrifice all for Christ.”

Both were very much aware of their weakness and the mistakes they made. But they know that their strength is acknowledging their weakness and realising their strength comes from Christ alone who has used them as messengers of his Good News.