Remembering Saints Peter & Paul


THE SOLEMNITY OF ST. PETER & ST. PAUL


The 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time gets superseded this year because it coincides with the June 29th Feast Day commemorating Saints Peter & Paul. We certainly want to give these saints their due recognition. And perhaps, as part of your observance, you might choose to treat yourself to a Mounds candy bar—or possibly an Almond Joy. Why? Is there a connection? It happens that the Mounds bar and the Almond Joy bar were each introduced to us through a company called “Peter-Paul.”  The company, established in 1919, was named for an Armenian immigrant: Peter Paul Halijan. Later, the company would be bought out by Cadbury (1978), and then Cadbury would be absorbed by the Hershey Company (1988). 


As for the two prominent Peter-Paul products, Mounds & Almond Joy, they are still being sold, across the nation. They were popular at the time of their original release, and they remain popular in this day and age. They have been promoted in various ways down through the years. The most famous jingle fits you into one of two categories: Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don’t. The idea being…? That’s why we manufacture the Almond Joy bar: for the times when you do feel like a nut. And then we manufacture the Mounds bar for those times when you don’t feel like a nut. So they have us covered, in either eventuality. 


Surely there were times when Paul felt like a nut. His hardships are summarized in 2nd Cor. 11:25-30. Greater detail can be found in Luke’s chronicle, The Acts of the Apostles. Paul starts off as a successful tent-maker (Acts 18:2). Upon pledging himself to Jesus, he will suffer a flogging, a stoning, he will be imprisoned, he will be ship-wrecked, and he will be beaten with rods. The thought must have crossed his mind: I am a first class nut!! And yet, we don’t hear anything about him abandoning the cause. He never expresses a sense of regret. Evidently, it’s a worthwhile experience, being a nut for the Lord. 


Peter, meanwhile, was content as a fisherman (see Matt. 4:18 & LK 5:3). He nevertheless answers the call, when approached by Jesus. Did he ever feel like a nut? We can only imagine what was going on in his head as he began walking upon the surface of the water (see Matt. 14:22-33). Was he wondering about his sanity? Perhaps he was losing his mind? Is he about ready to drown himself? At that point he is pulled under. Still, prior to this moment, he’s doing the impossible: he’s transcending all that would otherwise pose a threat to him!! He’s not impacted by the darkness of the night sky. He’s not impacted by the force of the waves. He’s not impacted by the howling wind. He’s not impacted by the depth of the water. He’s transcending it all!! 


He’s a nut. But he’s a nut at the Lord’s bequest. Jesus is the one who invites him to do the impossible. And it’s turning out just fine. It’s fine—until doubt enters into the equation. It occurs to Peter: This can’t be a good plan, even if it comes directly from the Master! Second thoughts are now forming. He’s having second thoughts about being a nut for the Lord. And as a consequence, the situation is about to literally swallow him up. The circumstances that were previously being transcended are now beginning to take over. He’s overwhelmed, he cries out, he recommits to the Lord, he’s rescued, he’s hauled into the boat. This leaves him wet, embarrassed, and feeling like a fool—but no ordinary fool.  


Classify him as a fool for the Lord. Line him up with St. Paul. And furthermore, line him up with each and every one of us. Or then again, maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Can you be regarded as a fool for Christ? Do you, at least sometimes, feel like a nut? If so, you’re in good company, shoulder to shoulder with these Princes of the Church. If you’re turned off by the notion, then give some thought to the challenges that you are facing—and will face in the not too distant future. Are you going to be swallowed up? Or will your commitment to the Lord enable you to transcend and to overcome? It all boils down to whether you’ll allow yourself to be A NUT FOR THE LORD. 

 

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