by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Does the Bible tell us to go ‘directly to Jesus’, or is there something else it reveals about Christian intercessory prayer? Among those sections that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, independent of Mark, have in common, almost all are directly didactic. That is to say, those sections almost invariably […]
“Lord, Why Can I Not Follow You Now?”: Why Peter Had To Wait
March 28, 2016 By
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Saint John’s early affirmation, “The Word became flesh,” is both the thesis of his whole gospel and the interpretive principle for understanding its sundry parts. This one verse affirms that everything expressed in the divine Word took on a fleshly, human form. In the stories recounted by John, we ponder […]
The Royal Priesthood, The Treasured People
June 24, 2013 By
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon In his first epistle Peter once describes his audience as God’s Chosen People: But you are an elect generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a treasured People, that you may declare the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; formerly you were not […]
What’s In A Name?
June 4, 2013 By
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Peter’s name, which is the first word in the longer of his two epistles, is immediately qualified by the noun “apostle.” The absence of the definite article with this noun prompts most English translations to insert the indefinite article, “an Apostle,” indicating that Peter was one of a group. While […]
Cutting Off Access To The Gospel
April 10, 2011 By
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Although the Apostle Peter enthusiastically confessed the identity of Jesus, he was much slower in accepting the message of the Cross. In fact, when Jesus first spoke of his coming Passion, Peter’s immediate response was, “Far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to you!” So Jesus, having […]
St. Peter – Prince of the Apostles
June 24, 2009 By
He was a fisherman, and Jesus’ premier apostle during His earthly ministry, and after the Ascension. To him, Christ gave the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. He preached in Jerusalem, converting over 3,000 souls on Pentecost. He also preached in Antioch and Rome. For his evangelistic successes in Rome, he was crucified upside down […]
