PETER AND PAUL

PETER AND PAUL

 

“This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.” – Acts 9:15

 

St. Paul is considered as one of the Fathers of the Church, next to St. Peter, but they’re very different. While Peter had been with Jesus from the start of His ministry, Paul came after. Peter was devoted to Jesus’ teachings while Paul was dedicated to persecuting Christians. In the end, God worked through Paul and he became a saint.

People can be classified as Peters and Pauls today, too. There are the Peters, who have always been a believer, have always known God, have been trying to be good ever since they were young. These are the people who grew up knowing Jesus early in life, so following Him is the natural thing to do. And then there are the Pauls, who start out knowing Jesus but in a different and a bit negative way. They’re the ones who couldn’t grasp who Jesus was, and in turn either persecute the Peters, or just plain ignore them. But when God reveals Himself to them, they’re just as devoted to Him as the Peters are.

I think that’s why God chose the two saints to be the Fathers of the Church, to show that whatever your background, God works in you and through you.Tina Matanguihan (tina.matanguihan@ gmail.com)

 

REFLECTION:

Regardless of whether you’re a Peter or a Paul, God loves you just the same.

 

Lord, give me the same devotion as that of Sts. Peter and Paul.

THE MIRACLE OF A LIFE THAT IS PAUL

 

If you want to see what the Gospel can do to a person’s life, think of the story of St. Paul. Has there ever been a greater turnaround than his? In the witness of St. Paul’s life, there is enough to inspire all of us to greater acts of faith for the sake of God’s Kingdom. The turnaround that we see in the life of this man is nothing short of a miracle. About the only thing Paul had going for him from a Christian point of view was an incredible desire and zeal to do the will of God. It is just that this zeal was initially very misdirected.

For those of us who do not have the same sort of dramatic conversion, this does not mean our conversion to Jesus is any less authentic or worthy of praise. God works with each of us as individuals in the way that is best for us. What is critical to the ongoing process of conversion is that we never lose the desire to be obedient to God’s call. God will continue to call each of us every day of our lives. He will call us to conversion and service of the Gospel until the day we die. You will never be on holiday from your faith if you remain obedient to God’s call.

Paul’s life is all the more extraordinary when we consider the amount of suffering he endured for the Gospel — beatings, stoning, shipwreck, persecution, wild animals, etc. Nothing could stop the man from being obedient to God’s call. This is what the Church needs today to combat the powerful forces of secularism and materialism. As Christians today, we need to stand up and fight against the philosophies that downplay the dignity of human life in order to exalt individualism and wealth. The prosperity gospel as proclaimed in so many Protestant settings, and even some Catholic ones, is an abomination to the Gospel of Christ. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

Have I fallen for the prosperity gospel’s teaching of associating wealth with faithfulness to God?

 

Father, help me to realize that faithfulness and obedience to You are rewarded in the gift of eternal life. Yes, I may have wealth here on earth but help me not to focus on it as it will all pass away and has nothing to do with eternal life with You.

 

St. Felix, pray for us.