Who needs a March Madness bracket when today’s Saintly Sixteen matchup is basically a championship game? 🏀
First, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ☘️ We wish everyone a wonderful feast day… though sadly Patrick didn’t make the cut in this year’s Lent Madness bracket. But today we do have two #1 seeds going head to head in the Apostles & Allies region, and the prize is a trip to the Elate Eight.
In one corner: The Rock. The man with the keys to the kingdom and a chair with his name on it in Rome… St. Peter. 🔑 In the other: The Apostle to India, the man stuck with the most unfair nickname in history… St. Thomas (who asked one honest question and has been hearing about it ever since). 🤨
It’s PETER vs. THOMAS.
Watch today’s video for our surprising picks, read the blogs for an incredible breakdown of myths and legends, and cast your vote to see who joins St. Benedict, who just sent Anthony the Great back to the desert 77.22% to 22.38%, in the Elate Eight. 🏆 #LentMadness
Peter the Apostle
"But who do you say that I am?"
"You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
We have an entire feast day dedicated to this quote because this is it. This is what it’s all about.
Before any of the creeds, the prayer books, the liturgies that now guide our faith, these are the words on which the Church stood. That Jesus Christ was, is, and continues to be the Messiah - the redeemer, liberator, fulfillment of every one of God’s promises - and the Son of the living God.
This pure expression of faith, which echoes through the rest of scripture and down through history, came from the mouth of Peter - a young, cocky, deeply flawed man.
In the context of the rest of Peter’s life, the soundtrack to this conversation is less triumphant horns and more a tense orchestra. Because, if you look closely, you’ll see a red string that ties these words to Peter’s other most famous line, “I do not know this man.”
You cannot tell the story of Peter, of Christianity, of our collective faith without both of these quotes. To do so would water down his and humanity’s relationship with our God, who sees us on our best days and our worst days and loves us without taking either into account. We confess and we deny. We are in the garden and yet, we still eat the fruit.
Peter’s betrayal is included in all four Gospels, and his confession is in the three Synoptics. Mark’s Gospel account is famous for having no fluff and yet has four verses dedicated to Peter’s confession and seven verses for his denial. Clearly, these words are important to our faith.
If we follow Peter out of scriptures and into legends, we find a man haunted and inspired by these dialogues. Medieval Christians had a story attributed to Clement I, who was ordained by Peter, that Peter’s face was “burnt with tears.” He frequently cried for joy as he meditated on his time in Jesus’ presence and sobbed in agony when he remembered his betrayal.
(Sidebar: despite his tears, it seems that Peter never lost his bold personality. In another legend, he wrecked his archrival in Nero’s court with this sick burn:
“Let Peter say what I think.”
“I shall do it when he hath thought.”)
Holding Peter’s complexities, in his words and actions, is important for us today as we face a world that insists what is good must be perfect and what is bad is everything else. His witness is less for people looking for examples of flawlessness achieved through faith and more for people seeking comfort that God calls the deeply human beloved.
— Bekah Scolare
Thomas the Apostle
Surely much (more) could be said of the strange intricacies of how St Thomas the Apostle got down to India, or about the legend that he visited China before his death. (There are even folks in Paraguay who hold that “Pai Thome” made it all the way there to preach to the indigenous population of the time.)
But as fascinating as those legends are, there’s no denying that one quality looms foremost in any discussion, consideration, or (in this case) sportsmanlike big-ups of St. Thomas the Apostle: he was a doubter. Specifically, he doubted his fellow apostles’ claims that they’d seen the risen Christ. From our birds-eye 21st century perspective, we might better nickname the guy “healthily skeptical Thomas,” but that moniker is a bit of a mouthful.
One doesn’t need a 21st century viewpoint to appreciate the value in Thomas’s famous moment of doubt. St. Gregory the Great, who was Pope way back in the late 6th and early 7th centuries, observed that “The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened.”
As a thought experiment, picture the version of John’s Gospel where instead of, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe,” (John 20:25) Thomas had said to the Twelve, “Oh, you saw Jesus, our beloved and recently-brutally-executed teacher and friend? And he looked super great and 100% alive? Wow! Guess he really was the Messiah. Nice!”
Not only would we have been deprived of Jesus’ poetic bonus beatitude, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Hey! That’s us!); we also might never have gotten the miraculous scene that precedes it. That’s the moment when Thomas gets his wish. He touches Christ’s once-broken body and knows for sure that this is no ruse. Surely that’s what Pope Gregory was getting at: Thomas, in touching Christ’s scars and believing, touches them for all of us, and gives us a sacred pathway to belief.
— Marissa Flaxbart
79 comments on “Peter the Apostle vs. Thomas the Apostle”
The write up on Thomas swayed my vote. And honestly! Isn’t it how we all come to faith?
This choice was very difficult. In the end, I understand Peter's denials more than Thomas's doubt, so my vote went to Peter. Most of us experience both in our faith life, so the stories of both saints are very "relatable." I expect this to be a very close vote.
My Lord and my God! Guess who I voted for.
Oh my gosh!!!!! Two wonderful writers this morning. They make this an impossible task. I am going with Thomas since I lay no claim to having prophetic insight. Love is a choice as is the "leap of faith" that brings us into closer communion with our Lord and Savior, and our special joy when we experience that spiritual connection to Christ's wounds.
I had a very hard time deciding. I was confirmed at a St. Thomas church and have always loved Thomas for asking what most were thinking but I had to go with Peter because I spend a lot of time bumbling around. Either one is really my vote.
Had to go with St. Peter.
In my study for preaching this Sunday I was so interested in the actions of Thomas who said to the group we need to go on this dangerous journey and die with Jesus . It begs the question was he doubting or upset he didn't die with Jesus I am voting for this type of devotion Thomas displays more to learn.
Thomas is best known for that one doubting quote while Peter was a major player. He’s the rock! He even walked on water! He gets my vote today (although it was really a tough choice; I voted for both of them in previous rounds).
Wow, the power of the writers of the bios can make a huge difference. Thanks for the time, preparation, and making a case.
Faith and doubt are inseparable, kind of like twins. I wonder if Thomas's twin embraced the faith too.
good question! another person to seek out when we get to Heaven
In John's gospel, when Jesus was determined to go back into Judea where he had faced persecution,
it was Thomas who said to his fellow disciples,
"Let us also go, that we may die with him." (John 11:16)
What is missing is what Thomas says when he does see the Lord.... without hesitation "My Lord and My God". And in Greek this isn't just a god among gods, but indeed the most high God. Not just a proclamation of the Messiah, but if the eternal one God of the universe. Now that is one proclamation of faith. And Jesus doesn't deny it.
What is missing is what Thomas says when he does see the Lord.... without hesitation "My Lord and My God". And in Greek this isn't just a god among gods, but indeed the most high God. Not just a proclamation of the Messiah, but of the eternal one God of the universe. Now that is one proclamation of faith. And Jesus doesn't deny it.
Voted for Peter in honor of Romulus Linney's 1980 novel, "Jesus Tales," (no itals available, sorry which takes as its inspiration point southern European folk tales about Jesus and St Peter tramping through the world together and encountering ordinary people in their everyday lives. I learned about it from the seminarian at the first Episcopal church I ever attended and in which I was received (from my Southern Baptist upbringing).
It's this loving, funny portrait -- and sort of a road trip, buddy story -- of how much Peter loves Jesus and largely cannot understand him.
If you've read any of the similar Jesus and Peter folk tales in Italo Calvino's Italian folk tales book then you've encountered this moving, quirky, funny, down-to-earth-yet-bringing-Jesus-right-into-people's-lives genre.
Linney concludes with a "folk tale" he sets in Texas that is just hilarious.
Love your recommendations! Every LM someone says something about a book they read and how much it came to mind in regard to a saint. So,I will be searching for yours this LM season. Thank you! Sounds like a great read.
The quote from St Gregory the Great swayed my vote! Great writings for both of the Apostles today!
This was a difficult vote for me. In the end I voted for St Thomas, as doubt has been a part of my journey also! The write-ups for both were wonderful!
The doubter vs the three time denier. The questions vs the redemption. A rock and a hard place. Thomas gets the vote
This one is going to be a nail biter. Shout out to the bloggers who do such great work!
I admire Thomas spreading the faith to Ethiopia and India, but I relate to bold, sometimes blundering Peter. Saying "You are the Christ" and "I do not know the man" could describe my struggles.
Marissa got me with her final sentence. Thomas, in touching Jesus' wounds was touching them for us.
This is a tough choice. I've always felt sorry for Thomas because he's been stuck with that nckname, when everything else we're told about him in the gospels (which is precious little) is that he was loyal to and supportive of Jesus. However, in te nd of my inner-wrestling match I came down on the side of Peter with whom I share so many taits - impetuosity, fear, awe, cowardice - and he is so wonderfully human. So, Peter for me.
Sorry, that penultimate sentence should read: However, at the end of my inner-wrestling match I came down on the side of Peter with whom I share so many traits.....
Congratulations on being named this week’s Canon of Commenters in this past Monday Madness video!!!
Based on her research, and her careful study of the accounts by those other than John, Thomas never doubted:)
A fascinating read is:
Pagels, E.H., 2005. Beyond belief: The secret gospel of Thomas. Pan Macmillan.
You can get it on Kindle too.
Ok, have to read Pagels on this. Probably some of my Mennonite friends own the book. Thanks
I thought the write up about Peter was fabulous.
Voting for Peter for showing us imperfections don’t disqualify us. For showing us the highs and lows of loyalty and denial, faithfulness and fear. For being a Gospel example through whom we see Christ’s forgiveness and abiding love.
Plus, my church is named for Peter.
I just couldn't smell what the Rock was cooking, and went with Healthily Skeptical Thomas!
Wish I could vote for both!
I’m going with Thomas, because doubt is the greater part of faith. Jung may have said “I don’t believe, I know,” but I doubt I’ll ever reach that level of certainty. I just keep my feet on the path and remember Thérèse of Lisieux : “Take small steps and ask for help along the way.”
It's a fantastic writeup for Thomas, and ALMOST got my vote.
But Peter's threefold affirmation - "You know I love you, Lord" "Then feed my sheep" - not only triumphs over his denial, but compels everyone of us. On this Rock I cast my vote.
Thomas like Peter represents me responding to Jesus. But Peter says things that are often stupid. Tomas says things that draw out the best in Jesus, As when Jesus says, I n my father's house there are many mansions', I go to prepare a place fr you that you may be with me, and you know the way I am going,, Thomas says what I think, Jesus, what are you talking about, we don't even know where you are going how can we know the way," Jesus jumps to a deeper level, and responds, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." IN other words, he says truth has personality, It is something that relates to you, It is not unchanging. Jesus is the only one humble enough to say those words and not ever use them as a weapon. That is amazing, and we owe it all to Thomas. Thomas says words that start the trip to raise Lazarus, too. Nd he draws out Jesus for another resurrection appearance through his question of doubt,
Naming my son Thomas, and being a twin, I have to go with Thomas.
Two great write-ups today for two outstanding candidates for the Golden Halo. I'm not surprised to see the voting close, and I will be content whichever goes ahead. I had to vote for Peter because I struggle with perfectionism and am grateful for forgiveness.
Thomas is the patron of all of us who say "I want it to be true, but is it actually true?" I couldn't be there with the disciples in the first century, so Thomas asked my questions for me. Of course I had to vote for Thomas.