St. Peter (The Rock)

A man like any other, impulsive in all his ways,
Fueled by emotion he said he'd follow Christ all his days.
Many times he dedicated his very all to his Lord,
That Christ himself called and named him 'The Rock".

But yet betrayer was he, not less then him named Judas,
Rejection did he proclaim, in Christ he did not trust.
But unlike that great betrayer, repentance did he embrace,
And knew from that day, that he was saved by our saviour's grace.

And though his path still rocky, though he saw a risen Christ,
In the end he laid aside his Jewish heritage, and gave up his very life.
Antioch, Rome, Babylon, Britain, where he preached his saviour slain
He travailed the world to of this news proclaim.

Till Rome he reached and he faced that evil Nero's wrath,
The Tullian Keep his home for nine months in iron cuff.
That place reknown as the worst of Roman tortures,
But burn within him a flame for Christ, that he converted all his captors.

And remorse in his heart remained till that fateful day,
That he proclaimed that he be not worthy to die in his Saviour's way.
Crucified he was, to on that cross suffer and bleed,
His cross was overturned for he deemed himself unworthy.

Here is the story of another man I admire. Oh Lord, how typical Peter was.

A man impulsive who claimed at every opportunity that he would follow you. But yet when testing came, in fear he flew.

But yet Lord, you impressed upon him his sins and changed him, that in the end you made him give up even his Jewish prejudices, that he took his wife and went to Babylon, Rome, Britain, Antioch and so many other places.

And even in his last days, he honoured you, when he was thrown into the Tullian Keep/Mamertine/Gemonium to suffer tortures unspeakable, the fire within him burned for you that he brought his captors to Christ. And that when he died, he proclaimed himself unworthy to die in the same way as you my Lord, and chose to be crucified upside down...

Oh Lord, that you would mould me into a man like him. Turn my momentary passions into lifelong commitments and work for your kingdom. Do whatever it takes, that I may be ever aware of my previous rejection of you and my dependance on you and you alone.

That you would turn my impulsiveness and aggressiveness into gentleness and sensitivity... And that I would see heaven as my reward such that even when Peter saw his wife being matyred, he rejoiced and shouted. "O thou remember the Lord!"

Lord, teach me, In Christ most precious name I pray,
Amen