The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat

The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.

Let discuss the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.   In them we see heroic virtue. In them we see enmity becoming friendship.   And perhaps most important, in them we see how someone’s yes to God can change, not only their own lives, but the entire course of Christianity.

These two giants in the faith came from completely different backgrounds—one a fisherman, the other a scholar.   One walked with Jesus personally for years, and the other encountered him after the resurrection.   They didn’t always see eye to eye.   But their lives and their ministries had remarkable parallels.   Their paths were not always easy: both were imprisoned many times.   Both were miraculously released from jail.   Both dedicated their entire lives to building up the Church.   And both were executed as martyrs for the faith.

What united them?   They said yes to Jesus.   In living out that yes, they strove every day to be faithful to God’s call in their lives.   And in response to that yes, they experienced God’s faithfulness to them every day.   As they poured themselves out for Jesus and his mission, shared the gospel with as many people as possible, and willingly suffered in Christ’s name, they changed and grew.   Each day, they became more and more like Jesus, and the more they became like Jesus, the better equipped they were to do his will in the world.

Take some time today to reflect on Peter and Paul’s lives.   Let their example show you how saying yes to God makes you more like Christ.   Let them show you how your yes equips you to do his will on earth.   Like them, you will surely face challenges.   But like them, you will also experience God’s grace, comfort, and wisdom to help you every step of the way.

Peter and Paul’s yes to God changed the course of history.   Ours can too!   Let’s use their feast day to inspire us on our journey.