Who do you say I am ?

As patron of our parish Church, St Peter’s statue stands over the main doors, while St Paul is to be found at the altar dedicated to him to the right of the sanctuary, near the entrance to the sacristy corridor.  These two great apostles, foremost among them, are easily recognised by the symbols associated with them.  Peter holds the keys of the kingdom while Paul holds a sword, symbolic of his preaching the word, a double-edged sword.

The faith of the apostles Peter and Paul was formed to a great extent by their personal experience of Jesus.  Peter responds to the Lord’s invitation to faith and professes, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”, and finding at last the key to faith he is given the keys to Heaven.  Paul too would encounter Christ on the road to Damascus:  “Why are you persecuting me?”  The preaching of Paul could be said to be a teasing out of his faith experience that Jesus identifies Himself with the believers - the Body of Christ.

Between them Peter and Paul reveal the Son of God in Jesus who remains forever in His Church, the Body of Christ.  As we honour these fathers of our ancient faith can we too make Peter’s profession ours too, and personal?  Then we too may respond like Paul in building up the Body of Christ in our Church, in our community.

Fr. Eamon Devlin, C.M.

29th June, 2008