Recently the American Film Institute announced its top 100 list of screen heroes. Atticus Finch, the kindly and courageous lawyer from To Kill a Mocking Bird, played by the late Gregory Peck, beat out an array of swashbuckling matinee idols for the top spot. Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones from Raiders of the Lost Ark was named Number 2 on the all-time heroes’ list. (By the way, I don’t want to hear from anyone leaving church today that “kindly and courageous lawyer” is an oxymoron! “Honest car dealer,” on the other hand, now that’s something else again!)
If the Church were ever to announce her own top 100 list of saints, no doubt, the top two would be Peter and Paul, whose feasts we celebrate today. I wouldn’t presume to rank them, so I’d have them share the Number 1 spot. Both were unquestionably pillars of the early church; Peter, the first leader of the fledgling community; and Paul, the first and perhaps greatest Christian theologian.
Besides being a brilliant theologian, Paul was also an outstanding missionary. It was his work in founding local churches outside Judea that probably more than anything else provided the spark that caused the faith to spread like wildfire throughout the ancient world. Paul’s letters to these local churches provide a wealth of information about the early days of Christianity.
Peter, among the 12 original apostles, was undoubtedly considered the greatest. It was to him that Jesus granted authority over the faithful, the “keys of the kingdom,” as related in today’s gospel from Matthew. A powerful spiritual leader to the Church in Jerusalem, Peter preached a sermon at Pentecost that inspired thousands to convert to Christ. Ironically, however, both Peter and Paul were ordinary men with ordinary human foibles made extraordinary by God’s grace.
Heroes and heroines are people whom society holds in admiration. Atticus Finch courageously defended a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman in the segregationist South of the l930’s. Indiana Jones, a fictional character, helped save the world from the tyrannical domination of the Third Reich. Both did what they did despite considerable opposition and at great risk to themselves. Peter and Paul did likewise. They died as martyrs for the faith, according to tradition in Rome, but their performances were not entirely heroic.
Recall, after all, that Peter “the rock” upon whom Jesus would build his Church abandoned the Master in his darkest hour, denying him three times. He’s portrayed in scripture in several passages as being incredibly dense, not to mention impetuous. And let’s not forget that following the Crucifixion, he and most of the other disciples fled Jerusalem in fear for their own lives.
And what about Saul who became Paul, the greatest proselytizer of the faith? He would easily have been on the “Least Likely to be Called by God” list in his day. Peter was in prison (as we heard in the first reading) because of guys like Paul, who started out as a zealous persecutor of the early church. Paul stood by as the first Christian martyr, Stephen, incidentally also the first deacon, was stoned to death. As an aside, that’s why to this day, deacons are wary of entering stone quarries!
It’s certainly appropriate to celebrate these two great “founders” on the same day. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that they were far from perfect. Just like us they had their share of character flaws. Yet despite their shortcomings, because they were open to God’s call, both performed like heroes. By virtue of God’s grace, they were able to continue their work for Christ undaunted by persecutions and never faltered as they made the ultimate hero’s sacrifice
The transformation of Peter and Paul proves that anything’s possible when God calls you to discipleship. It also proves that there’s hope for us sinners. Peter was a simple fisherman and Paul, a tentmaker, but consider what they were able to do because they made themselves available to God. These two seemingly unremarkable men accomplished deeds that altered the course of human history. In the divine scheme of things, you see, availability is more important than capability.
The lives of Peter and Paul also demonstrate clearly that Christian discipleship requires sacrifice, sometimes great sacrifice. Union with Christ and his mission means union with his sacrifice on the cross. And sacrifice often entails suffering. Not only is Peter imprisoned in the first reading, but so too is Paul in the second. The Coliseum in Rome, after all, was the notorious place where many early Christians suffered terrible deaths, torn to pieces by wild animals, as blood sport for cheering spectators. Thank God, most modern day spectators are satisfied with watching football or wrestling instead.
Today, thankfully, Christians aren’t martyred with the frequency of times past, but people still die for their faith. Today many Christians are still criticized (sometimes persecuted and even imprisoned) for their strong stance on social justice issues. They continue, however, to speak out and to live their lives in solidarity with those who suffer for the very same reasons as Peter and Paul did. They know that our union with Christ is superficial, at best, if it doesn’t show itself in daily words and actions.
This week-end our parish’s Justice and Advocacy committee is suggesting a concrete way for us to demonstrate our union with Christ by getting involved in a Diocesan-wide legislative advocacy campaign – “Access to Health Care for Every American.” There are 3 million New Yorkers who don’t have health insurance, 110,000 of them right here in our own diocese. Our Faith calls us to continue the healing ministry of Jesus through caring for the sick, and advocating for better systems of health care and just public policy.
For more information there will be a representative of the committee in the gathering hall after Mass to answer questions and offer specific action steps. The committee assures me that involvement in this project is not likely to be painful or life threatening in any way. There’s little chance, for example, that you will become lunch for some hungry lion. Your involvement, however, will go a long way to alleviate the suffering of others.
Today is a day the Church sets aside for us to thank and praise God for calling Sts. Peter and Paul to discipleship. Because of their union with Christ, their answer to God’s call, it’s also a day to pray that we too may, despite our own failings, answer the call as they did. All we have to do is be willing, available, and leave the rest to God.
You and I will probably never make the Church’s Top 100 list of saints, but at least we will have tried to make the team. Imagine, if you will, what a football game would be like between the Vatican Saints and, let’s say… well, the New Orleans Saints? It would certainly be played on Astroturf. There would surely be a minimum of penalties, at least on our side. Peter and Paul would alternate the quarterback position; Deacon Stephen would play running back, Fr. Mike and Deacon Mike warm the bench. And where would this match made in heaven be played? Why in South Bend, Indiana, of course, at Notre Dame’s stadium!
But obviously making God’s team or any other team isn’t possible, nor is winning for that matter, without first getting off the sidelines and onto the playing field. If we do get on the playing field, however, then on Judgment Day when St. Peter introduces us to our Lord, each of us at least will be able to say, in the words of St. Paul from the second reading, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”
One last point. If Peter is No. 1 on the Church’s top 100 list of saints and Paul is No.2, who do you suppose would be No.3? I’ll give you a hint: “Blowin’ in the Wind;” “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “I’m Leavin’ on a Jet Plane.” Right…Peter, Paul, and MARY.
Anthony J. Sciolino
Feast of Peter and Paul.
June 29, 2003 (Cycle B)
Acts 12:1-11
Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Matthew 16:13-19.