Sunday Reflections

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles – June 29, 2025

Picture of Reflection by:

Reflection by:

Fr. Jim Donohue, CR

Radical Discipleship of Peter and Paul

The readings this Sunday point to the radical call of discipleship. In his call to follow Jesus, Peter needed to experience the love and forgiveness of the Risen Lord. This experience changed him so that he became willing to die for Jesus and His way. Similarly, Paul needed to experience a conversion of love in order to follow the Risen Lord and to give his life for Him. The love and forgiveness of the Risen Lord touched both Peter and Paul. It changed them. They became fully committed to Jesus and His way…to the point of giving their lives for Him. This is what we might call radical discipleship.

One way to moderate the radicality of Peter and Paul is to make a distinction: this radical call is for those who are called to priesthood and religious life, and the rest of us try to do our best to make our way through life to heaven.

In this light, Gerhard Lohfink (Jesus of Nazareth: What He Wanted, Who He Was, Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2015: 96-97) writes that there is no two-level response to being a Christian: one a call to discipleship (like Peter and Paul) and the other a call to live the gospel the best that we can. He points out that being called to be a disciple is a radical one: no place to lay your head, no time to bury your dead or say farewell to your family, and to leave everything behind. But he notes that living out the Sermon on the Mount is also a radical call. It demands that one not only abandon evil deeds but every hurtful word; it demands, because each marriage is sacred, that one not look with desire at another’s spouse; it demands that married couples no longer divorce but remain faithful until death; it demands that there be no twisting or manipulation of language, but only absolute clarity; it demands that you give to anyone who asks for anything.

We might also think of the story in Matthew of the rich young man. Jesus tells him that he must leave everything if he wishes to be perfect. Christians, again, have long interpreted this to mean that those called to religious life and priesthood (as disciples) are called to “be perfect,” with the rest of the people of God “doing their best.” But, the meaning of “perfect” here is that this young man would give his whole self. And this is the call for all Christians. This “wholeness,” this “perfection,” this “giving one’s whole self” is different for everyone, but everyone is called to give his/her life “entirely” or “perfectly.” This is the radical call of discipleship.

How might we embrace this call of radical discipleship? I think there is only one way. Peter and Paul show us that we must fall in love. We must fall in love with the Risen Lord who first loved us. Of course, when we fall in love, we are willing to do anything for the one we love…even giving our lives.

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