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Peter and Paul go together like bacon and egg, rice and peas, chicken and chips. They are a match, a team and they are the most celebrated of the apostles. What makes this an enduring relationship and a great foundation stone for the church is their similarities and their differences. They complemented each other.
They were both chosen by God to be his instruments in the salvation of the world. Peter as the first Apostle and as the spokesman for the church; Paul as the missionary to the gentile world. Both were Jews. Both had a trade – Peter a fisherman, and Paul a tentmaker. Both had obvious weaknesses. Peter a weakness in character – slow to understand, impulsive and outspoken, somewhat lacking in courage. Paul’s weakness was a physical one – an affliction of some sort which he came to live with and accept.
Both died as martyrs in Rome around about the 65AD in the persecutions of the Emperor Nero. Because Paul was a Roman citizen he was beheaded. Peter had the more painful death of crucifixion. It is said he chose to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy of the same death of his Saviour. Because of the way they died the symbol of Paul is the sword whereas the symbol of Peter is the upside down cross. We have pictures of our two saints, carrying the symbols of their death, in the stained glass of our church.
Our readings today give us clues to their inspirational lives but also they help us in the situation we find ourselves in now. The first reading speaks of the power and importance of prayer in achieving the deliverance of Paul from imprisonment. This is a great metaphor for us. If we find we have time on our hands let us spend some of it usefully in prayer. Prayer can achieve the miraculous. It can bring us freedom.
The second reading is about focus and determination no matter what lies ahead. No, rather, it is because of what lies ahead. Paul was able to endure incredible hardship, ordeals, setbacks, slurs and slanders because he never lost sight of his goal, the finishing line; the reward of the heavenly kingdom. He tells us that throughout everything the Lord stood by him and gave him strength. Let us pray that the Lord will stand by us and strengthen us in our determination to serve him and bear witness to him at this time. Amen.
They were both chosen by God to be his instruments in the salvation of the world. Peter as the first Apostle and as the spokesman for the church; Paul as the missionary to the gentile world. Both were Jews. Both had a trade – Peter a fisherman, and Paul a tentmaker. Both had obvious weaknesses. Peter a weakness in character – slow to understand, impulsive and outspoken, somewhat lacking in courage. Paul’s weakness was a physical one – an affliction of some sort which he came to live with and accept.
Both died as martyrs in Rome around about the 65AD in the persecutions of the Emperor Nero. Because Paul was a Roman citizen he was beheaded. Peter had the more painful death of crucifixion. It is said he chose to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy of the same death of his Saviour. Because of the way they died the symbol of Paul is the sword whereas the symbol of Peter is the upside down cross. We have pictures of our two saints, carrying the symbols of their death, in the stained glass of our church.
Our readings today give us clues to their inspirational lives but also they help us in the situation we find ourselves in now. The first reading speaks of the power and importance of prayer in achieving the deliverance of Paul from imprisonment. This is a great metaphor for us. If we find we have time on our hands let us spend some of it usefully in prayer. Prayer can achieve the miraculous. It can bring us freedom.
The second reading is about focus and determination no matter what lies ahead. No, rather, it is because of what lies ahead. Paul was able to endure incredible hardship, ordeals, setbacks, slurs and slanders because he never lost sight of his goal, the finishing line; the reward of the heavenly kingdom. He tells us that throughout everything the Lord stood by him and gave him strength. Let us pray that the Lord will stand by us and strengthen us in our determination to serve him and bear witness to him at this time. Amen.
