Welcome to our first full week of Lent, and we’re kicking things off with a little Monday Madness 😎
But first… WOW. In the closest race we’ve seen yet, Saint Benedict of Nursia edged out Saint Basil the Great by just over 300 votes! 🗳️
A razor-thin 52% of you gave the nod to the West, as Benedict’s call to work and pray marches on into the Saintly Sixteen 🙌
Now… buckle up.
This one has been brewing for nearly 2,000 years.
The Rock vs. The Road, The keeper of the keys 🔑 vs. the one who was blind but now sees 👀
It’s Saint Peter vs. Saint Paul!
Two giants of the faith. Two community makers. Two pillars whose witness helped shape the Church from Rome to the ends of the earth. Peter, whose confession of faith remains the rock the Church was built. Paul, the relentless missionary, bridging cultures and proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Forget the seeding… this feels like a championship matchup 💥 BUT…Only one can advance. Who gets your vote?
Head over, read the blogs, watch the videos, and make your voice heard!
Paul the Apostle
When we first meet St. Paul of Tarsus in the biblical book of Acts, he’s still far from sainthood. Going by Saul, he’s holding coats for those stoning Stephen, a deacon in the early church and soon-to-be saint himself.
Saul not only approved of Stephen’s killing, but also set out to personally destroy the church.
He went house to house, dragging off men and women and putting them in prison. As followers of Jesus began to scatter, he pursued them to Damascus.
On his way there, Saul had an encounter that changed his life.
The heavens flashed, Saul fell to the ground, and a voice boomed: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
It was Jesus.
When Saul got up from the ground, he could no longer see. His traveling companions helped him finish the journey to Damascus, where God sent a disciple named Ananias to miraculously restore his vision.
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel,” God told Ananias.
After this experience, Saul was baptized, spent time with the disciples in Damascus, and began preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Many were baffled, and some were convinced it was a trick, but Saul continued to preach and travel widely, using his Latin name, Paul, as he communicated with audiences outside of the Jewish community.
Paul himself had been born a Roman citizen and described himself as “a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees.”
He spent the rest of his life founding Christian communities across Europe and Asia and writing prolifically. Of the 27 books in the New Testament, as many as 14 traditionally have been attributed to Paul, although scholars dispute about half of these.
While he escaped several plots against his life, imprisonments, and even a shipwreck, the book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest in Rome. He likely was martyred between the years 62 and 64.
These days, Paul is considered one of the most influential figures within Christianity and the patron saint of missionaries, evangelists, writers, journalists, public workers, tentmakers, and more. His story reminds us it’s never too late to change your mind. It’s never too late to admit you were wrong. God can use anyone.
— Emily Miller
Collect for Paul the Apostle
O God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul you have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Peter the Apostle
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”
Centuries before his name became synonymous with the power and institution of the Church, Peter was a simple fisherman. He was not a political player, religious leader, or anything necessarily of note that one would expect a Messiah to call to be his disciple and message-bearer. When we meet him in the Gospels, he is a young adult, fishing with his brother, Andrew.
One of the best parts of Peter’s story is that his (extremely relatable) brash, stubborn, second-guessing personality shines throughout the Gospels. He walks on water but also freaks out about walking on water. He encounters Elijah and Moses on the mountain with Jesus and has a moment that can only be characterized as Host/Hospitality Anxiety, and offers to build all three of them a tent right there and then. He denies Jesus and his faith on Friday morning and then runs to the empty tomb on Sunday.
Not in spite of, but perhaps because of this intensity, by the time Acts of the Apostles rolls around, Peter is a well-respected leader of this brand-new community. During the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended and small flames alit on each of the apostles, Peter was the first to preach to the gathered crowd. Later, he became the first to proclaim the Gospel to a Gentile (Cornelius the Centurion), opening the doors for this new religion by saying, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
After Acts, historical records trace his footprints from Jerusalem to Rome. He followed his calling into the heart of the empire that had been oppressing him since he was born, boldly proclaiming the message of Jesus, of love and repentance, and creating and supporting communities of believers. After decades of his ministry and Roman persecution, Emperor Nero had him executed. The original plan was for him to be crucified like Jesus was, but Peter begged to be crucified upside-down, claiming to be unfit to die in the same manner as his savior. He was one of the last of the original disciples to die, and one can only imagine the reunification in Heaven.
Centuries before his name became synonymous with the power and institution of the Church, Peter was a simple man whom God called as a disciple. He walked off the shores that day he met Jesus into a new life defined by faith. And two thousand years later, Hades has yet to triumph over the Church that Peter nurtured.
— Bekah Scolare
Collect for Peter the Apostle
Almighty Father, who inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God: Keep your Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, so that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
106 comments on “Paul the Apostle vs. Peter the Apostle”
Paul for his inclusive missionary work. Good example for our times.
I voted peter for school project
Paul's extensive missionary work and untiring preaching to the world gets my vote.
I have always admired Peter for being so quick with his opinion and solutions. Not always right but instinctively on the right track. I named my son Peter.
This was a tough one. I'm not surprised to see Peter pulling ahead. Both apostles bring the idea that God can used flawed people to attain God's purposes. I think often of the many mistakes Peter made ("Get behind me Satan" is kinda harsh!), but Jesus still entrusted the church to him. Saul aka Paul was persecuting the young church and had his conversion and forgiveness moment. He saw the light. I voted for Paul because his love poem in 1st Corinthians 13 is one of my favorite passages.
This is the hardest Lent Madness contest yet. Everyone of the Saints so far deserve the Golden Halo. The final will be a very tough decision and we are only getting started. It is Peter for me this round.
Peter got my vote because I can relate to his eagerness and willingness to follow Jesus with faithfulness and love, yet, his humanness shines through in more ways than one. To me the life of Peter is the perfect example of why God had to sacrifice His son in order for us to have eternal life with Him.
How could you do this to us? Asking us to choose between these two is akin to asking us to choose between beloved granndparents!
Of course both men are amazing, but my vote is for Paul, who was likely an Enneagram One, like me, and who found freedom and flourishing from being a rule follower, also like me.
Well, yes, Paul was the great missionary who welcomed all to be followers of Christ, but I am always struck by the number of times the word "I" crops up in his letters. It may be the English translation but it's annoying at times. My vote is for the humble all-too-human fisherman.
I must vote for Paul as we be long to St. Paul's Church here in Alexandria VA.
Jane I considered the fact that I also go to a St. Paul’s Episcopal church. However, Peter won my vote because he is so human. I often make the same kind of mistakes.
Conflicted is the best word to describe my response to today's match up. I think that those responsible for this face off need to confess and repent! 🙂 I love Peter because he is so relatable, but the impact of St. Paul's conversion is so far reaching, and he is the patron saint of my congregation. Hmmm.
Peter gets my vote today, he’s not as long winded as Paul!!
Peter is so relatable! I figured most everyone would vote for him. However, I voted for Paul, because of his relentless determination to spread the Gospel far and wide, for which I am truly grateful!
Greetings!
Like many us I feel both of these men- characters are men of great faith and love of Jesus. I did vote for Paul because he had his ‘come to
Jesus’ moment AFTER Jesus died. He seemed to be cruel, arrogant, and surely he did NOT play well with others! He was truly transformed!! He was an evangelist ‘s evangelist. For me it was that experience of being knocked off a horse, losing his sight… and then falling deeply in love with Jesus and evangelizing around the world with oral and written expression. I believe in our modern times many were not followers of Christ and then have those profound experiences like Paul and their life has been altered dramatically…. Forever as Christ’s own forever!
Tough one. I admire both. Their influence on the developing communities. And more so their humanness displayed and the growth they experienced as they walked the journey they were called to. That is what I try to do- follow yes, but grow with each experience .
I voted for Peter. I just find Paul so disconcerting and I'm still mad about Steven.
In honor of these two men, I am going to enjoy a dish of ROCKy ROAD ice cream
Great Idea!
lol
I get it, very funny
Go for it, friend. Rocky road is my favorite ice cream. Yum!
Although I very much admire Peter, I voted for Paul. A minister friend once told me that if it had not been for Paul there would not be a Christian church, it would have died out.
Paul also shows that one can always accept God's grace, no matter what the circumstances.
OK: This passage from Philippians simply says it all for me ...
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
I had to vote for Paul:)
Why Paul? Because we understand our faith through him. I love Peter, but Paul has been a (often maligned) mentor.
This is the classic match-up of head against heart! Again and again I find myself returning to Paul's letters when I have doubts and questions, and so I voted with my head.
I will neither be sad nor surprised, though, if Peter's big heart carries the vote.
This was a tough one indeed. Peter edges out Paul I relate more to his humanity
Without Paul where would we be?
I feel like today's choices were between the Super Bowl of Saints! What a tough choice. Peter,the humble fisherman hand-pickedby God on which he built his church, and Paul, a sinner-turned-preacher and prolific writer, who might be described as tge world's first advice columnist.Both had their faults, and both had their weaknesses.It's those traits that have always drawn me to admire both of them.But in the end it was Paul who won my vote. We journalists need to stick together, so how could one not stick by her patron saint?
Not surprised by seeing Peter so far ahead. But I voted for Paul because the story of his conversion in Acts 9 is so powerful and speaks to the way God brings together enemies in a moment of reconciliation and redemption. It also reminds us to not give up on those who say they "hate" the church. We just don't know how God will work to turn someone around.
I had to go with Peter on this one! He is the Rock on which the church is built.He's also a bit more of the "common man" that most of us are.
I decided on a mad way to choose ... the old rob Peter to pay Paul? A tour guide in London shared a story that it came from silver items disappearing from Westminster Abbey (formally the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster) and mysteriously showing up at St Paul's Cathedral. Whether much truth in that or not, I decided to "pay back" and join team Peter today 🙂
I love Peter so much. He's so bad at being a disciple, but he keeps trying and trying. It gives me hope for the rest of us!
Although I named my oldest son, Peter. I have another son, John Paul.
I voted for Paul because of his conversion and his inspired writing. I'm a big fan of the gospel and Paul's writings calling us to metanoia, a change of heart.
I'm 80 and I still need a lot of transformation.
Although he's never been a favorite of mine, Paul has given us some great wisdom, and kudos to Emily Miller for a fabulous write-up. Still, I can more relate to Peter, so Peter got my vote.