Pastor’s Letter: February 10, 2019

Pastor’s Letter: February 10, 2019

8 Feb 2019 | Posted by: chadmin

The Gospel reading on this 5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time gives us an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between Jesus and Peter. In the Catholic Christian Church tradition, we hold Peter to be the first Pope. This flows from his special relationship with Jesus. At one point, Jesus clearly put Peter in charge of the other Apostles as He gave him the keys to the kingdom. The relationship between Peter and Jesus is not as simple as Jesus finally picked Peter to be first among the Apostles. Over time, Jesus taught and tested Peter. Jesus spent time with Peter and invited him into a deeper relationship. The gospels record the many different types of responses that Peter had to Jesus. Peter professed Jesus to be the Messiah. Peter denied Jesus three times. Peter deserted Jesus in His hour of suffering and crucifixion. Peter experienced and expressed the whole gamut of emotional and spiritual commitment to Jesus and the challenge it brought to his life.

Chapter 5 of Luke’s Gospel reveals an initial encounter between Peter and Jesus. Jesus enters the scene and uses Peter’s boat to sit and teach the crowds. After teaching, Jesus tests Peter’s resolve to the message and to Jesus. As Jesus invites Peter to take the boat out to deep waters for a catch, Peter’s initial response is to reject the request based on his own experience of the failure they had fishing all night long. Peter’s heart was moved enough to realize that the request from this kind and holy man was one to be patiently endured. When the catch of fish is so big that the boats are sinking, Peter realizes that he is in the presence of someone new. “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man,” says Peter to Jesus. Peter identifies Jesus as Lord and he recognizes his own sin in the presence of perfection. This must have also included a reaction of fear, as Jesus instructs them not to remain in fear.

All of the Bible stories exist to communicate truth to the listener. In the best possible way, the Bible conveys stories from long ago, in order to reach hearts today. We all possess the potential of Peter. All of the apostles are persons for us to embrace and model. Peter shows us that the experience of Jesus changes one’s life. In his ministry, sometimes Peter succeeded and sometimes he lived in perceived failure. Peter allowed himself to be fearful and he allowed himself to be forgiven. All of us can kneel before the Altar or the Eucharist and say, “depart from me Lord, for I am a sinner.” And this is precisely what we need to do. We acknowledge our sin so we get challenged to improve. We use our gifts so we get challenged to take risks. We give everything to God and neighbor, so we understand the meaning of laying down life for others. The life Jesus lived with the Apostles sets the framework for our growth as Christians. All of the stories show us how the holy ones before us responded to the challenges of life. May the life of St. Peter the Apostle show us the way to recognize the perfection of Christ, and embrace a personal relationship with Jesus that we help us live each toward heaven.

God bless,

Father David