St. Peter and St. Paul- 29 June- Matthew 16:13-19

 On many calendars, June 29 is listed as the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. In their theologies, Lutherans and other heirs of the Reformation have often emphasized Paul and overlooked Peter. In the context of historical theology, this tendency is understandable. However, in this post, the emphasis is on St. Peter.

The Apostle Peter is a significant figure in Christian history and a fascinating personality. Much has been said and written about him over the centuries, often in the course of theological and jurisdictional disputes between the church of Rome and other parts of the Church. Although this post will not discuss all the issues, a key passage is the Gospel from St. Matthew 16: 13-19. Here, Simon Peter confesses his faith that Jesus is the Christ and Son of God. Because of this faith, our Lord calls Peter the rock of the Church, the new community of faith. Yet, despite his important confession, Peter is not infallible, even in matters of faith. Within a few verses of his confession of faith, Matthew notes that Peter resists Christ's teachings about the way of the cross and serves the cause of Satan.

So we respect St. Peter. We honor his faith, his leadership, his service, his courage (most of the time), and his eventual martyrdom. However, we do not think Peter, Paul, or any other mere human being can be personally infallible, even for a brief time. May we  receive the grace to avoid Peter's errors and may we receive and accept the grace to follow Peter's faith and its fruits!

Pentecost 4 (year A proper 7) Matthew 10:5a, 21-33

 In the Gospel from Matthew 10, Jesus warns His disciples about some of the difficulties involved in following Him. Followers of Christ should not expect life in this world to be easy. There will always be opposition to the Gospel, and sometimes there will be open persecution of the faithful. If even Jesus Christ faced opposition, His faithful disciples should expect no less. Many human beings do not want to hear the call to repentance and new life through faith in Christ. We should not be shocked by such resistance.

Yet, despite the problems, Christian disciples should not lose hope. They should trust that God cares for them and that His mission in the world continues. The Gospel continues to call sinners to repentance and faith, and the same God who cares for the least sparrow cares much more for each of His faithful followers. He provides the grace needed for us to endure as faithful witnesses to divine truth and for many others to accept His call.

Second Sunday after Pentecost (year A proper 5)- Matthew 9:9-13

The Gospel for this Second Sunday after Pentecost is Matthew 9:9-13. This reading contains Matthew's (aka Levi) brief reference to his own call by Jesus. It also points to the gap between Pharisaic attitudes and divine grace. Matthew humbly notes his disreputable background or lifestyle and Christ's gracious call to follow Him. Connected to the call of this tax collector, our passage speaks of the reaction of the Pharisees. They challenge Jesus' association with people who have not been very pious. Our Lord responds by pointing to His mission to call people to repentance and spiritual healing. Divine grace calls and transforms fallen human beings. Grace leads to repentance and, beyond that, to living faith and discipleship. This dynamic is seen in the call of Matthew and the call of every Christian through history. We all have such a call to follow Jesus.