"The Church was at peace"

So it says in today’s first reading (Acts 9:31-42), speaking of a brief period of time after its chief persecutor was converted to the Faith.

These periods of peace for the Church seem all too fleeting, but of course true peace will only be perfected when all of Christ’s faithful stand before the throne of God.

Meanwhile, we will have good times and challenging times: as individual believers and as a Church.

In both of today’s readings, Saint Peter, the first Pope, figures prominently in good times and bad times for Christ’s faithful.

In the first reading, the Church is at peace and Saint Peter himself works great miracles.

In the Gospel (John 6:60-69), many people are leaving the ranks of Christ’s faithful and yet in that difficult moment, God’s grace enables Saint Peter to be a glorious example of faithfulness.

Many of (Jesus’) disciples
returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.

Jesus then said to the Twelve,
“Do you also want to leave?”

Simon Peter answered him,
“Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced
that you are the Holy One of God.”

May God give us the grace to be strong and faithful in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and members of His Church – in times of peace and times of challenge.