Saint Peter and Paul Apostle (Matt. 16:13-19) “Leading Others to Christ”

St. Peter and St. Paul had two distinct personalities.  The way they came to believe in Jesus was unique as well. Their conversion stories might reflect how everyone comes to believe.  We can break all conversions into two types.   

One type of conversion to Christianity occurs because of personal experience.  An individual might meet a devout Christian. Perhaps as they interact with that Chrisian person they are impressed by the way that Christian lives.  We could think about someone like St. Francis.  We have very few writings by St. Francis of Assisi.  He didn’t have much respect for the study of Theology, yet many people came to believe in Jesus because of Francis. Why?  Because they observed the way he lived.  He gave away all his privilege.  He then fed the hungry.  He nursed the sick.  He did all this with a sense of joy.  He seemed free of the appetites that motivated other people. The need for status, the need for possessions, the need to be well thought of. St. Francis didn’t want these things.  He was a free spirit.  Others looked at how he lived saying, “That is how I want to be. I want to feel free.”  

Francis didn’t point to himself saying, “Be like me.”  No, he always pointed to Jesus saying, “Be like him.”  “Don’t follow me, follow Jesus. Live as Jesus did.” 

The second type of conversion we might say is an intellectual conversion. C.S. Lewis had such a conversion.  Lewis was a professor at Oxford University in England in the early 20th century.  He fell away from his faith when he was a adolescent as a lot of young people do.  He claimed to be an atheist.  He was a veteran of WWI.  What he experienced in the war (death, destruction, violence) deepened his atheism. 

Lewis taught literature at Oxford. He was also part of a scholarly study group called “The Inklings.” (A group that loved to talk about mythology, spirituality, history, Theology).  In the group were a variety of people, some of whom were Christian.  One person was a Catholic named J.R.R. Tolkien who wrote, “Lord of the Rings.”  Lewis argued for years with this group of learned men.  He defended his atheism. But he began to feel his arguments were less convincing.  Over time, the professors who were part of the Inklings wore him down.  He finally fell to his knees confessing his faith in Christ Jesus. He then became one of the best Christian apologists of all time. 

As we think of Saints Peter and Paul, we think of two people who came to believe in Jesus in two different ways.  Peter came to believe in Jesus by meeting the Lord personally.  He walked the roads of Galilee with Jesus. He ate with Jesus.  He ministered beside Jesus.  Peter watched Jesus’ death.  He saw the empty tomb. As we read in the Gospel today, Peter had direct contact with the risen Jesus.  Peter was so convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, he died for his faith. 

Paul came to believe in a different manner.  Paul started off his life as a devout Jew.  He was a Pharisee.  Paul studied Theology.  He taught the Jewish faith to others.  Because of his prayer, personal reflection, and discussion with the Apostles he came to believe in Jesus.  Paul’s conversion was more of an intellectual conversion.  

When Peter taught the faith, he gave witness of his intimate relationship with Jesus.  He talked about the Jesus who he knew.  When Paul talked about his faith, he spoke of how he reasoned his way to faith.  He spoke about how faith in Jesus made intellectual sense. 

I was told once by an older priest friend that each Christian has an opportunity to help others to believe in Jesus. He said when you witness to others concerning your faith you will reach people that I never will. No one person can convert the world.  We must all make use of our opportunities. None of us will interact with an identical series of people as we live life. No two of us will personally bond with the same people. Jesus asks us to help him as he asked Peter and Paul to help him spread the Gospel.  He appoints us as disciples.  Our challenge is to reach out to others by how we live as well as by what we say. Our vocation is to point to Jesus saying, “He is the answer to our deepest desires.”