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139.1
First Point
It should not be surprising that Saint Peter was so dearly loved by Jesus
Christ and that Our Lord established him as head of his Church.[i]
It was his great faith that won for him this honor, the faith which led
him to renounce all things to follow Jesus Christ[ii]
and to give himself completely to him. It is true, as Saint Jerome says,
that Saint Peter gave up little if we consider what he possessed: he left
only a fishing boat and some nets. But if we pay attention to the fact
that he gave up at the same time the desire to possess anything, he did
indeed give up much, as this saint observes, because he renounced what is
most important in this world, what is most capable of attracting and
absorbing people's hearts.
It was the faith with which he was already filled that enabled him
to make this generous act. Since
Jesus Christ was then just a common man in the eyes of the world without
any acclaim, nothing but a strong faith could have enabled anyone to leave
everything in order to follow him, because to all appearances there was
nothing to be hoped for from him.
Have you truly renounced everything with all your heart's desire?
Have you put yourself under the protection of God alone with an entire
abandonment to his Providence? Make this generous act in imitation of
Saint Peter and through his intercession.
139.2 Second Point
His
great faith led this holy apostle to follow Jesus Christ always. Of the
three who were with Jesus Christ in the principal occurrences of his life,
he is named first in the holy Gospel.[iii]
He is also the first of all the apostles to go to the sepulchre looking
for the body of his beloved Master,[iv]
which illustrates the great attachment he felt for him. His faith shone
out above all the other apostles so strongly that when Jesus questioned
them to learn what people were thinking about him, and then asked them
what they themselves thought of him, Saint Peter, enlightened as he was
from above, as Jesus Christ declared, by a light incomprehensible to the
human mind, and which could come to him only from heaven, replied: You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God![v]
This led Jesus Christ to entrust to him the care of his Church.
Be convinced that you will contribute to the good of the Church in
your ministry only insofar as you have the fullness of faith and are
guided by the spirit of faith, which is the spirit of your state and by
which you should be animated.
139.3 Third Point
Another
effect of Saint Peter's extraordinary faith was that as soon as all the
apostles had received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, he preached with so
much energy and with so much power that an innumerable multitude of
those present from all kinds of nations, hearing him speak each in his own
native tongue,[vi]
were so amazed by what he told them (although he spoke in very simple
terms) that 3000 of them were converted on the spot[vii]
and embraced the faith of Jesus Christ. A few days later, 5000 more[viii]
did the same. It was also this great faith of Saint Peter which enabled
him to perform such a great number of miracles, which made his words
effective, and enabled even his shadow to heal the sick.[ix]
Do you have a faith that is such that it is able to touch the
hearts of your students and inspire them with the Christian spirit? This
is the greatest miracle you could perform and the one that God asks of
you, for this is the purpose of your work.
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