Today’s Gospel from Mark tells us how Jesus chose to harness the power of his Apostles, not by building a fierce army, but by sending them out in pairs.
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two … so they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
This made me think about two of the biggest names in our Church history – Peter and Paul – and how they would “team up” to help spread the good news, the Gospel of what was then known simply as “the way” but would become a new catholic (world-wide) religion whose flame has never died.
Holy Mother Church celebrates Saints Peter and Paul, two larger-than-life figures from the New Testament who collectively embody the two primary ways the world hears the Word of Christ.
Peter – “the rock” – is first among the original 12 apostles and the one upon whom Christ built His Church. His one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.
When you think of Peter, you think of the Pope … the Cardinals, Bishops and Priests. These are the guys on the front lines of running our Church, fighting against theological misunderstandings, handing down official positions, be they binding or not.
Even today in our jaded age, the power of the Pope cannot be undersold. Witness the front-page treatment Pope Francis gets in the New York Times and most newspapers across the planet whenever he issues an encyclical – or mutters a few impromptu thoughts while chatting with journalists on a plane.
Here is a guy … pretty much a kind, humble little priest from South America who, because of his title as Pope, has the power to change the world with his words.
Now we consider Paul, the “voice of the people” who was not an original apostle, but became perhaps the most prolific, thanks to his many writings that date back to just a few decades after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
Because Paul was not one of the original 12 and perhaps because he was not even a supporter of Christ (at first), Paul’s writings tend to connect well with those who are new to the Catholic faith or to those who are taking RCIA programs and learning for the first time about the beauty of the teachings.
So, we have Peter the fisherman turned “fisher of men” and Paul, the former persecutor of the new Christians, but now one of the greatest – if not THE greatest evangelist for the faith. One would become the founder of the clerics, the other would become the voice of the people.
Imagine the two of them walking down your street, knocking on doors – ringing YOUR doorbell. Would you answer? Would you listen to what they have to say?
Both Peter and Paul contributed so much to the faith … but from different perspectives and different faith journeys. One could easily say the same about the messages of Pope Francis and the much smaller voices of your typical, every day Catholic social worker, who seldom makes the front page of any paper. Both want to change the world! And both deserve a voice.
In the end, it’s important to remember that the wisdom of the Truth of our faith does not only come from our Popes and preachers, but also from those we see doing the hard work, getting their hands dirty and working out their salvation one good deed at a time.
