Sunday 13 A, 2008
St Peter and St Paul
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We celebrate today the solemnity of the two pillars of the Church,
St Peter and St Paul.
Jesus called both of them for the important role they played in the start-up and development of the Church.
Both were Jews, but Peter came from Galilee in Israel
whereas Paul was born in Tarsus, on the North side of the Med,
which made him an expatriate Jew and also a Roman citizen.
Both knew opposition and persecution by the Jews
but Paul was a converted persecutor of Christians.
Both changed their name for their Christian mission.
Peter was the older by a few years and they both were younger than Jesus.
Peter was a fisherman and uneducated, Paul was a tentmaker but educated.
Peter was spontaneous and temperamental;
Paul was rigid, reasoning and law-abiding.
Peter was layman, Paul a Pharisee.
Peter was a disciple of Jesus and very close to him for three years,
Paul was never in Jesus’ circle.
Peter was an apostle to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles.
Both died about 30 years after the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus.
Peter had a ministry spanning 30 year and Paul’s ministry was about 25 years.
We can learn a lot about Peter from the Gospels but Paul is revealed in the Acts of the Apostles and through his 13 letters in the New Testament.
They were chosen by Jesus and they gave their life to the Church,
let us honour them with gratitude.
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