Late Entry

The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

"But he denied it saying, 'woman, I do not know him.'"

We are all sometimes Peter and Paul
preaching and teaching in God's name
and afraid at the same time.

We, like them have lofty thoughts and visions
wake hoping to change the world through love
and stall out on the highway of despair.

We are often Peter and Paul
with crowds pressed around and women adoring
we sing our songs and dance for the Lord
and run like mad when the terrors come.

Paul stoned believers and put them to death
made blind he finally could see.
Peter loved Jesus fiercely, was first to his aid
and first to denial when the testing came.

We are like them is small ways
big ways too.
We are humans frail and mighty
full of love
and fear and self loathing at times.

And Jesus comes for all of us
the preachers and the liars
the singers and the deniers,
the ones who shine all the time for God
and the ones who dent even the door of faith.

Jesus found them and finds us in dark sad
moments when we long to be finished
when we wish and pray for agony to cease
and to be loved again and forgiven.

Like Peter and Paul we already are
forgiven, broken and made whole.
Lives for the world, frail and mighty, God's gift
reminding us of mighty love.