Leave-taking of the Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God; the Holy Priest-Martyr Autonomus (284-305)
Galatians 2:11-16; Mark 5:24-34
Read Galatians 2:11-16
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Could you imagine someone trying to correct St. Peter, the chief Apostle? He was the first Pope (although that title was not known at that time). How can any correct the Pope? There are some who believe that a Pope cannot be corrected, that everything he states is Gospel truth. Unfortunately, that belief is not a Christian belief. We believe that the Pope, in teaching with the rest of the Bishops, cannot err in Faith and morals. There have been many who have corrected Popes in their behaviour through the centuries (for example, St. Catherine of Siena), and the first was St. Paul, the other chief Apostle, correcting St. Peter.
St. Peter’s was one of inconsistent behaviour. He did not act according to his Christian belief. With the establishment of the Church by Jesus Christ, there was no longer a division between Jew and Gentile. All who were baptized could approach the Eucharistic meal. And all who were baptized ate together afterwards at the agape meal. But St. Peter’s behaviour changed after the Council mentioned in Acts 15. He started to eat only with those who were Jewish. And St. Paul came face to face with him publicly and rebuked him. St. Peter repented and changed his behaviour so that his actions were consistent with Christian beliefs.
This reading gives us a chance to examine our own lives. Are we acting inconsistently with what we profess as Christians? Thanks be to God for the gift of repentance. Like St. Peter, we can repent, turn to the Lord through the ministry of the Church, and be reconciled with Him. And on top of that, we can receive strength from on high, through the action of the Holy Spirit, to remain consistent in our behaviour and belief.