St Peter & St Paul

Thank you to everyone who made my celebration of 50 years of the priesthood last Saturday such a joyous occasion. I was truly overwhelmed by the lovely celebration of Mass and the refreshments afterwards. It was wonderful to meet old friends from other parishes. I was truly humbled by the kindness and thoughtfulness of people, especially the parishioners here at St Thomas of Canterbury and St Dunstan’s Hersden.

We are celebrating the Feast of St Peter and St Paul this weekend. Both men are an encouragement to me. We hear Jesus referring to Peter as ‘rock’, but not because he was a trustworthy and solid man — Peter made many mistakes and even denied Jesus. Peter became a ‘rock’ because he chose to build his life on Jesus, who is the rock. As the late Pope Francis said, ‘Jesus is the bedrock upon which Simon became rock.’

Both Peter and Paul were men who were flawed, but who knew their weaknesses and failures; Paul fell out with the people he was working with, and was painfully aware of his shortcomings. Their strength came from a willingness to give themselves completely to the Gospel, considering everything else to be worthless, so as to earn Christ.

Both Peter and Paul were no admirers of Jesus. It was more than this. They had Jesus in their heart. They became witnesses. They believed not in words, but in deeds.

Peter did not speak about mission, he lived the mission, he was a fisher of men; Paul did not write learned books, but letters of what he lived as he travelled and bore witness. Both spent their lives for the Lord and for their brothers and sisters. And they provoke us, because we run the risk of stalling at the first question: of giving views and opinions, of having grand ideas and saying beautiful words, but never putting ourselves on the line. And Jesus wants us to put ourselves on the line. [Pope Francis]

Lord, I stand with Peter the fisherman and Paul the man of letters, asking that you fill me with your Spirit so that, like them, I may have the firm and deep desire to spend my life for you and for my brothers and sisters. I am willing to endure all so that you can use me.