Peter and Paul

Today, Sunday 29th June 2008 is the feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. I have lector’s duty and hence, had spent a full week going through the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. (yayaya, I take my duty very seriously) During the long week, I have many questions. The more I read about Peter and Paul’s lack of faith, cowardice, reluctance and over egoistic nature, the more it puzzles me why Jesus chose to put them in such significant positions.

I know many people of other faiths just lurrrrve to rub it in that our Bible has been ‘butchered’ by them yadda yadda yadda bla bla bla…. But you know what? I actually love the humor of it. Of course, as a Christian, I do not doubt that the Bible is the Word of God, handed down by the prophets since 4,000 years ago, from Adam. And it ended with Jesus, the Son of God.

The humor is how lucky we Christians are. Here are two examples of the most human of humans in Peter and Paul. They had their shares of running away from God, doubting, denying Jesus, losing the faith when Peter was trying to walk on water and so on. And we Christians therefore, do not have very high standards to try to live up to. Because ultimately, we know that with God’s grace and with some faith, we will be doing fine, just like Peter and Paul.

But what I love most about their examples is how God can transform this fisherman and this slayer of the early Christians to be where they are. Saints. And secretly, I know if I compare myself with the original fisherman in Peter and the original Saul (before he is name Paul), I am not doing too bad either. I will get there someday. With God’s grace.

So, tell me, aren’t you so glad that we have Peter and Paul as our role models? Aren’t we so lucky that we didn’t have to be saints in the first place to be saved by the Grace of God? God will pick us up, regardless, if we believe in Him.

Here is something which I copied from The Herald which will help us to get closer to the Saintly Paul which all of us should emulate.

A prayer to the Apostle Paul

Glorious St. Paul,
Most zealous Apostle,
Martyr for the love of Christ,
Give us a deep faith,
A steadfast hope,
A burning love for our Lord
So that we can proclaim with you
‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.’
Help us to become apostles
Serving the Church with a pure heart
Witnesses to her truth and beauty
Admist the darkness of our days.
With you we praise God our Father
‘To Him be the glory, in the Church and in Christ Now and for ever.’
Amen

June 28th 2008 to June 29, 2009 is the Pauline Year.