One of the more fashionable ways of talking about faith these days is to use the image of the "story."
We’re told that what faith is essentially all about is finding a "story" (or "narrative" or "myth") that is meaningful to you, that fits, that informs your life and gives you strength for your journey.
And, of course your story is not mine, nor is it necessarily anyone else’s. And, since the meaningful story is so personal and individual, it is the height of intolerance to question anyone else’s story into which they’ve chosen to live, pray and find meaning.
It’s really important, for spiritual wholeness, that you find a meaningful story to give shape to your journey.
As for me, my life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Well. Good for Paul and his story.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets’. ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God’. Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’
Ah. Good that Peter, too, found a meaningful story. Not that it was necessary, but it’s nice that Jesus affirmed him in the story.
One can say much – quite a lot – about Sts. Peter and Paul. In them, we see the essence of the Christian life. They are a quick, dirty answer to the accusation that Christians are about unrealistic ideals, angelism and denial of the realities of human life: two admittedly flawed human beings, whose flaws Christian tradition has made no effort to hide, whom God used, not just despite, but somehow within and through their weakness – Peter’s impetuousness and simplicity (in worldly terms), Paul’s passion and personal history. This is what being a disciple is about: not denying who we are, but turning it over to God and letting Him use it. Pouring out the gift of life, so that God can bring even more, deeper and richer life out of it.
Returning to my original point, it’s also a day to confront the lie, that has indeed infected the way Catholics talk about spirituality, that this journey is all about finding that blasted story. What an insult to the martyrs. What a violation of their experience of Christ, which was no page-turner, but the encounter with the Living One, whose impact on them was such that they could not but say "yes" when he called them to follow.
Not to just keep telling a story and inviting others to groove to it if they feel like it, either. But called to invite others to meet that same Living One and be saved, reconciled and redeemed by Him.
This day has been consecrated for us by the martyrdom of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. It is not some obscure martyrs we are talking about. Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. These martyrs had seen what they proclaimed, they pursued justice by confessing the truth, by dying for the truth.
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