Acting first, thinking later

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	St. Peter When: First century Where: Palestine What: Apostle, first pope Feast: June 29 (with St. Paul)

St. Peter is an ideal saint for anyone who acts hastily, only to apologize and try all over. Peter often didn't get it. He asked questions, took everything literally and often got in trouble because of his sincerity and naïveté.

That also meant he was devoted, hard-working and eager to do whatever needed doing, even if it took him awhile to figure out just what that was.

Peter, a fisherman on Lake Genesareth, was the son of John and a native of Bethsaida, a village near Lake Tiberias. His brother, Andrew, introduced Peter (or Simon as he was known) to Jesus.

Peter was present when Jesus performed his first miracle at Cana, when Jesus cured Peter's mother-in-law and at the Transfiguration. Often Jesus traveled in or preached from Peter's boat. Peter is mentioned in the Gospels more than any other disciple and is always mentioned first in lists of the apostles.

One day while Jesus and the disciples were walking, Jesus asked who they thought he was. When Peter replied, "the Christ, the son of the living God," Jesus answered, "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. ... I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you declare bound on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you declare loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

With that, Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter, meaning rock. The Catholic Church has long used this text to highlight the primacy of the papacy.

At the Last Supper, Peter at first refused to let Jesus wash his feet. But when Jesus said that was the only way Peter could have a share in Jesus' heritage, Peter eagerly asked Jesus to wash his hands and head too (Jn 13:6-9).

Only moments later, Peter was told that he would deny Jesus three times before the night ended, a prediction that came true before the cock crowed. But before that, Peter came to Jesus' defense, slicing off the ear of a servant of one of Jesus' capturers.

The death and resurrection of Jesus had a powerful effect on Peter. He no longer speaks before thinking and he is less impetuous (though he does once jump in the sea and swim to shore to meet the risen Christ). Instead, he becomes a calm and sure leader who converted thousands on Pentecost after the descent of the Holy Spirit. He was the first apostle to preach to the Gentiles and the first to perform miracles.

Herod Agrippa imprisoned Peter in about 43, but an angel led him to freedom. After that, he was spokesperson at the first church council in Jerusalem which decided that Gentile converts to Christianity did not have to be circumcised or follow Jewish dietary rules (Acts 15:1-29).

Peter is not mentioned again in the New Testament, but an early tradition says he went to Rome.

In about 64, tradition says he was crucified upside down at the foot of Vatican Hill during Nero's reign. Excavations under St. Peter's Basilica have unearthed what is believed to be his tomb.

Since Constantine, in the early 4th century, the joint feast of Ss. Peter and Paul has been celebrated on June 29. In the Eastern Church the feast was first celebrated on Dec. 28.

Earlier this year, retired Green Bay Bp. Aloysius Wycislo published a novelized account of St. Peter's life.