Beginning
I hope that you, too, experience times when you're reading scripture and something pops off the page. In this week's Collect, this is what I heard, beginnings of right religion. "Grant, we pray, that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion."
What is a beginning of right religion? I didn't expect to find that sometimes the "beginning" can be a person, and this person isn't always just anyone, it's God.
It's fun to think about and learn about Peter and Paul. Paul set aside his own agenda and demands and became a Disciple of Jesus Christ. What would that look like in the news today? Paul was a brave man, no doubt relying on the courage of the Holy Spirit.
What part of being with Jesus won Peter over? Hearing Jesus teach (Luke 5)? The empty nets now overflowing with fish? The compassion in Jesus' eyes? Or maybe something as small as a pat on the back. Peter did great things for Jesus and his Church. Remember the time someone was healed just by being in Peter's shadow (Acts 5:15)?
I pray we have the desire to follow both the examples and the footsteps of Peter and Paul. Perhaps we need to return to the fire of the beginning.
Thanks for praying with me!
Julie
This week's links:
Ignatius-Lighthouse app review at CatholicApps
Douay-Rheims Bible at Librivox
USCCB Bible Readings Audio