Saint Peter is one of the most beloved and human figures in the Gospels. Before he met Jesus, he was a fisherman from Galilee named Simon. Like many of us, he lived an ordinary life—working, providing for his family, and probably never imagining that God would call him to something extraordinary. But when Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19), Simon left his nets behind. From that moment, his life changed forever.
Jesus gave him a new name—Peter, which means “rock.” In Matthew 16:18, Christ said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.” These words reveal Peter’s mission: to be the foundation of the faith community that would carry on Christ’s work. Though Peter was impulsive, sometimes fearful, and even denied Jesus three times, Christ saw in him a heart that loved deeply. After the Resurrection, Jesus forgave and strengthened him, saying, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17) That moment confirmed Peter’s role as the first shepherd of the Church—the first Pope.
Peter went on to preach the Gospel with courage, traveling from Jerusalem to Antioch and finally to Rome. There he gave his life for Christ, crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die the same way as his Lord. His tomb lies beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, a place that has become a symbol of the Church’s unity and faith.
Saint Peter’s story is not only about leadership—it’s about transformation. God took a simple fisherman and made him the cornerstone of His Church. Peter shows us that holiness doesn’t begin with perfection, but with trust. Even when we fail, God’s mercy can lift us again and call us to serve.
May Saint Peter remind us that faith grows through both courage and humility. When we fall, may we remember that Christ still looks at us with love and whispers, “Follow me.”
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
