Peter & Paul – Disciples First

This post is also available in: Spanish, Italian

A reflection on the Solemnity (Feast) of the apostles Peter & Paul, disciples & martyrs who said yes to Jesus’ call “follow me,” the patronal feast of the City of Rome, the apostolic see, celebrated on June 29.

Self” Magazine is certainly a sign of the times. This is an age when it is socially acceptable to admit that life is all about me.

But selfishness is nothing new. Ever since Eve bit into the apple, human beings have made the choice to dethrone God and put in His place the unholy trinity of me, myself, and I.

Love of Self

But Jesus commands us to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Doesn’t this imply that love of self is OK, even required?

Absolutely. God placed in us a drive towards self-preservation. He made beneficial activities, like eating, pleasurable. And he made destructive activities painful.

But He also gave us intellect and will so that we are not driven simply by instinct, as are the animals. So the ancient enemy of humanity does his best to deceive our intellect into thinking that what is destructive is actually good for us. And he entices us to use our will to choose these destructive things contrary to God’s commandments. The end justifies the means, he argues.     we have to trample over others and defy God to get what we want, so be it.

Denying Self and Following Jesus

This is the kind of self-love that Jesus condemns (Matthew 10:37-42). It leads to ruin, confusion, and emptiness. There is no way to tame this or to fit religion into it. The only solution is to kill it. In baptism, this old egocentric self is crucified and buried with Christ (Romans 6:11).

The man who wrote this line, Saul of Tarsus, knew what he was talking about. The about-face required of him was radical, turning him from persecutor to persecuted, agent of hatred to apostle of love. There can only be one Lord – it’s either Jesus or me.

Peter – pick up the Cross

Following Jesus means allowing Him to be boss, allowing Him to call the shots and direct my steps. Picking up the cross and following Him as a disciple (Matthew 16:24-25) means accepting the Father’s will, even where it “crosses” my will, even when it leads to suffering. This is the meaning of Jesus’ words to Peter as a young man you fastened your belt and went about as you pleased, but when you are older, you will stretch out your hands and another will tie you fast and carry you off against your will (John 21:18)

When Jesus had finished saying this, he looked at Peter and said follow me!

A few years ago he said much the same thing to a successor of Peter, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Those pundits who spoke of his maneuvering to build support for his “candidacy” before and during the conclave made me laugh. Cardinal Josef Ratzinger had tried to retire twice before the death of John Paul II! Both times the Pope refused to accept his resignation. When during the conclave he saw momentum began building for his election, he cried out to God begging to be spared. The room where the newly elected Pope first dons the Papal vestments is called the “Room of tears” for a reason.

Peter & Paul, Disciples First

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29, let us recall that before these saints were shepherds and apostles, they were sheep and disciples. God was able to do great things in them and through them because they made a decision to surrender control of their lives and destiny to the Son of Man who is also the Son of God.

Jesus says follow me to each of us. It may mean making a change of career. It may mean breaking off a relationship that is leading us away from Christ. Or it may just mean doing what we are already doing but for an entirely different reason . . .achieving great things not to draw attention to ourselves, but to glorify Christ . . . seeking an intimate relationship no longer to take but to give. . . working not for the weekend, but for the kingdom.

For a podcast on this subject, listen to Dr. Italy on STS PETER AND PAUL AND THE CHURCH OF ROME.

For more on the apostles who founded the church in Rome, visit our Sts. Peter and Paul Library

This post on the call to follow Jesus as heeded by the disciples Peter & Paul appears as a reflection on the Scripture readings for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29 (Vigil mass Acts 3:1-10/Gal 1:11-20/John 21:15-19; Day Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19).

Banner/featured image The Stoning of Saint Paul by Jean-Baptiste de Champaigne. Public domain.