June 29, 2009

Monday June 29, 2009 of the 13th Week of Ordinary Time
Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
Scripture Readings: ACTS 3; 1-10 Psalm 19: 2-5 Galatians 1: 11-20 John 21: 15-19
Psalm Response: “Their message goes out to all the earth.”

On this feast, we recognize the power of the two Apostles who formed the nucleus of the New Way for Jews and Gentiles.
The first reading details the first recorded miracle of the Apostles. Healing a cripple who was unable to stand for 40 years, in the view of Jews entering the Temple where he had begged gave them an inkling of the power of the word of Jesus. Peter and John invoked His name when they encouraged the man to get off his duff and walk around.
We can only imagine the awe (fear) overcoming the visitors and regular patrons of the Temple. It was a manifestation of Christ’s power distributed to the Apostles.
All of the Apostles were given the order to heal in Christ’s name. However, few are recorded in the Scriptures. Suffice to say, this was an example of the divine attributes present in His Apostles because of His granting it to them.
We are also given the same power. Unfortunately, we want to feel it is of our own doing and not the Faith which Christ says is the ingredient necessary to effect healing.

Paul’s letter to the Galatians is one of the benchmarks for Paul’s take on salvation through Faith. Paul points out, he wasn’t one of the original Apostles and only came to know Christ through the extraordinary vision he had of Christ on the way to Damascus.
He didn’t even consult with the Apostles until he had meditated on his personal experience with Christ for about three years. During the time he was mulling over in his mind the teaching he was to impart to the gentiles we can be sure he received other revelations to confirm he wasn’t going bananas before he went to his missionary journeys.
We need to begin, if we haven’t already, to learn, what are the real teachings of the Church? By doing so and asking of our pastors and confessors to clarify any areas of misunderstanding, we will be better able to answer queries from interested parties why we are so sure of the faith we have been granted by God.

Peter may have been chagrined at Christ’s persistence in asking him about his love for Him. Tradition has noted, the tri-part questioning was to offset his triple denial and to reestablish Peter’s leadership over Christ’s Church.
As we offer our Thanksgiving today it would be well to recognize Peter and Paul’s contribution to our faith and its solidity. Nothing has changed from the beginning if onereally investigate the origin of our Faith.
As a recent convert said to me, “How can an intelligent educated person deny our Faith”.
I can’t answer that one!