Sunday Reflections

Peter was son of Jona and brother of Andrew. He was a professional fisherman from Bethsaida, a fishing town on the Lake of Galilee (Gennesaret). He might have been a follower of John the Baptist. It was his brother Andrew who introduced him to Jesus, and Jesus who changed his name from Simon to Cephas or Peter. Jesus made him the leader of his apostles. At Caesarea Philippi Jesus promised to make him the head of his Church, and the risen Jesus confirmed Peter’s precedence. It was the Ho ly Sprit Who inspired Peter’s Proclamation of the Good News to all in Jerusalem on the day of the Pentecost bringing the Church into living action. Peter made missionary journeys to Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea and convened the first Council in Jerusalem. Peter wrote two epistles addressed to the whole Church. He was martyred by crucifixion under the emperor Nero.

Paul the “Apostle to the Gentiles” and the greatest missionary was a Roman citizen by birth as he was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, a Province of Rome. His original name was Saul. He was trained as a tent-maker and practiced that trade. As a Pharisee he was sent to Jerusalem by his parents to study the Mosaic Law under the great Rabbi Gamaliel. Well-versed in the Scriptures, he became a religious fanatic and was ready to destroy the Christian faith. When Stephen was stoned to death by Jewish fanatics, Saul was there to support them. But he was miraculously converted on his way to Damascus to arrest the Christians. He made several missionary journeys, converted hundreds of Jews and Gentiles and established Church communities. He wrote 14 epistles. He was arrested and kept in prison for two years in Caesarea and two more years in Rome. Finally, he was martyred by beheading at Tre Fontane in Rome. Let us pray for the apostolic zeal and missionary spirit of Saints Peter & Paul.

https://www.archtoronto.org/stewardship