Peter and Paul were good men and the world owes them a lot. Peter was the leader of the disciples but compared with Paul he was rather quiet and unobtrusive. Paul, however was very different. Nowadays he might be regarded as something of a media man. When necessary he demanded and got attention. He was a “hot potato” and even the Roman authorities handled him carefully. They moved him up the line of investigators and judges as quickly as they could. They even consulted the local authorities about him. One can imagine the relief individual officials felt as they saw his back disappearing on his way up the stairs to the next higher official in the building.

In the Gospel Peter is assured that he has been forgiven by Jesus. He is being commissioned once again to lead the disciples and the newly born Church. He did the job to the best of his ability. On one or two occasions he and Paul had differing points of view. These differences were not glossed over in the Acts of the Apostles. They, however, did their jobs well. They died close to one another in time but widely separated in place. We celebrate a joint feast for the two men on June 29th.

It takes all kinds to make the Church too. So, there is a place and a job for all of us, Peter and Petra, Paul and Paula, with our differing temperaments and abilities in the Church which Peter and Paul served so well .