Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, June 29

2 Timothy 4:1-8
John 21:15-19

I'm a little late with the blog posting. But we did celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul last night at our Tuesday Eucharist. This day is not just about these two men, but specifically about the martyrdoms, which according to tradition occurred at the same time under the Emperor Nero in Rome. In life their relationship was complex. Peter tried to preserve unity between his fellow Jewish Christians and the Gentiles that Paul was bringing to faith in Christ. Sometimes for Peter that mean preserving Jewish customs that Paul considered oppressive to the Gentiles. And Paul was not shy about calling Peter out.

But in the end they found healing and reconciliation in, of all things, death. They were both executed for their witness to the Risen Christ. They both placed their trust in the God who brings new life out of death. Sadly, death is not something we only do once. All our disappointments feel like a little death. But with us in each little death is Jesus, who was crucified, and who shares our little deaths, so that we will share in his Resurrection, just as Peter and Paul share his Rising. So, let us not fear our little deaths, for out of them come little resurrections.