Simon whom Jesus gave the name Peter often gets a bad rap. He has become somewhat of a punching bag, at least within the church world. Throughout his life he would proverbially take two steps forward, then run and hide behind a rock somewhere. This is somewhat ironic given that his nickname Peter means the Rock. He was to be the one on whom God built up the Church, but quite often he appeared anything but stable. If one takes a closer look several examples of Simon-Peter’s hot-and-cold nature emerge from within Holy Scripture and Tradition.
In today’s Gospel lesson from Matthew we hear that Simon-Peter confessed Jesus was the Christ. In fact, this confession is the occasion we celebrate today. In Mark’s telling of this same story right after Simon-Peter made this affirmation Jesus explained what it meant to be the Messiah. Instead of listening to, agreeing with, and supporting Jesus Simon-Peter took his teacher aside to say that he could never undergo suffering. Jesus responded with the infamous words, “Get behind me Satan” (Mark 8:33). Simon-Peter did not only vacillate here, but throughout the New Testament.
Soon after making his confession that Jesus was the Christ Simon-Peter, James, and John were swept away to the top of a mountain to witness the Transfiguration of Jesus. In that holiest of moments, Simon-Peter could not let God be God. Instead, Simon-Peter tried his best to box in God into some small booths. Simon-Peter wanted to hold onto the moment and also God.
Perhaps the piece de resistance came when Simon-Peter boldly claimed that he would never cross his Lord. Jesus understanding his follower better than Simon-Peter knew himself told the follower that he would deny him three times before the cock crowed. We all know that Jesus was right in this instance. John’s Gospel account paints the beautiful picture of Jesus restoring Simon-Peter as the disciple affirmed his love of Jesus three times on a beach one morning after the Resurrection. And yet, even after this beloved moment Simon-Peter still ebbed and waned in his following of Jesus.
Peter boldly risked his life after Pentecost to share the Gospel to those in Rome. Although at first he believed Gentiles ought not to be part of the Church later he realized his mistake and baptized Cornelius the Roman Centurion. Al-so, he was so convinced that purity laws around meat should be followed until one day he had a vision from God that he ought to eat following Gentile ways when with them. Finally, when Emperor Nero persecuted Christians Peter at first fled from Rome, but encountered a vision of Jesus walking back to the city. When Simon-Peter asked where his Lord was going Jesus replied, “I am coming to be crucified again” (Holy Women, Holy Men, 174). At this Peter re-turned to the city and was crucified upside-down unwilling to die in the same manner as Jesus.
In this inconsistent manner Simon-Peter gives us an example of what true discipleship looks like. The legendary figures of ancient and recent past come off too often as untouchable stalwarts with whom we cannot relate. Simon-Peter’s double name makes perfect sense. Of course, we know that Peter means rock, which appeared almost laughable at times. Simon though means “listen”. When Simon-Peter actually listened to God he actually lived into his calling as the Rock of the Church! He could not make himself a crag or a foundation, in-stead he had to rely upon Jesus.
We can all learn from Simon-Peter. We can grow to listen to God. We can dis-cover that even when we make mistakes God still has a calling for us. We can ascertain that even when we deny God the love of Christ will still be strong enough to restore us. We can find out that even when we run away Jesus will show up to walk with us back to where we are called. We are all called to listen like Simon, so that God can make us strong like Peter.
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