July 3, 2022 SIMON PETER



As always , I say thank you to Jesus for a goodnight and a New Day to love.

 

I chased away all the world’s tumult and listened to the soft and loving voice of Jesus.

A flash in my mind as Jesus reminded me to write about SIMON PETER, and this writing is particularly addressed to my friends who do not know who Simon Peter is. So I prayed to Jesus and Saint Peter to help me find in the Biblical literature and history all the information about him.

 

SIMON PETER,

Peter is the second apostle accepted by Jesus. He was Andrew ‘s younger brother. When he joined the Apostle Corps, he was  thirty years of age. He was married and had three children and lived at Bethsaida, near Capernaum. Andrew lived in his house.

Both Peter and Andrew were fishing partners of John and James, the sons of Zebedee.

Simon was his real name. Peter was the name given to him by Jesus. It was  to be a sort of a nickname.

Peter was an optimist but getting into many troubles  with his impulse when speaking without thinking. But he was a very talented speaker, a natural and inspirational leader of men. He was a man of quick decision and action. While others were astonished at seeing Jesus on the beach after his resurrection, he jumped in and swam ashore to meet Jesus.

The trait that Peter admired most in his Master was his most tenderness and forbearance. He never forgot the lesson Jesus gave him about forgiving the wrongdoer, not only seven times but seventy times seven. That lesson comforted him,  when so afraid of Jesus’ arrest on that night, he  denied Him three times in the high priest’s courtyard.

Once Jesus came into the country of Caesarea Philippi. He asked His followers: ”Who do people say that I am?”. “Some say ;"You are John the Baptist", and some say Elijah and others Jeremiah…” Then Peter said: “You are Christ, the Son of the Living God”. Jesus then said to him:  “Simon, son of Jonah, you are happy because you did not learn this from men but My Father in heaven has shown you this, and you are Peter, on this rock I will build My Church.”

 Except Paul, Peter did more than any other apostles  to establish the kingdom of God and sent his disciples to the four corners of the earth in one generation. 

After Jesus' resurrection , on the shore of the Tiberias sea, Jesus appeared to his disciples and took breakfast with them. When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter three times whether he loved Him, Peter replied :"Yes Lord, you know that I love you". Jesus said:"Feed My sheep". But when Jesus asked him the third time, he broke down:"Lord , you know  all things, you know that I love you". Jesus said :"Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. 

When he was sure about Jesus' forgiveness for his three times denials, he  became a great and burning light to thousands who were in darkness.

Peter travelled extensively, visiting his followers from Babylon to Corinth. (The town of Babylon was located along the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq, about 50 miles south of Baghdad. It was founded around 2300 B.C.). (Corinth, ancient and a modern city of the Peloponnese, in south central Greece, the remains of the ancient city lie about 50 miles west of Athens). 

Peter’s wife was a very able woman. She was in the Women’s Corps, and when Peter was chased away from Jerusalem she followed him  to all his missionary missions. And the day her illustrious husband   gave up his life , she was thrown to the wild beast in the arena  at Rome.

 

And this great man regarded himself as the recipient of  great honors when his captors told him he must die on the cross as His Master.

 He was famously crucified upside down in Rome.  And thus was Simon Peter.

Beloved,

Indeed Simon Peter was a great apostle. He had a great heart. Very humanly, he said he followed Me wherever I go :" Master, I'm ready for anything with you. I will go to jail for you. I'd die for you!" And I told him: "Verily, verily Peter, before the rooster crows you denied Me three times that you know Me". But he repented , was pardoned and preached My Word and sacrificed his life as described. 

My dear child, whatever mistake or sin you did in your life, never despair. Come back to Me with repentance and ask for pardon. Remember that I always love you and give you peace.

 

Dear Jesus,

Thank you  so much for letting me know that you always love us.

AMEN"