Peter and Paul Feast Day June 29

Read the words from ACTS for this feast day: “In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also.-It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.- He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.”

I guess we have come a long way from the day when killing Christians was good sport. Herod’s people were able to find Peter easily because Peter was quite visible in the early times after Jesus death. Peter may have worried that he would die on Passover like Jesus. Remembering his denial of Jesus on Passover he may have felt it coming. He may have also remembered Jesus words when roused on the boat about to sink, “Why are you terrified? Don’t you have faith?” And this time faith paid off. Herod’s agenda of silly amusement gave way to God’s saving mission for the people of the world through the Church which had much higher priority. Peter was rescued to Herod’s embarrassment. When we are in the face of danger, we might ask ourselves if we are doing God’s work as strength for our faith.