Words of Eternal Life

The psalmist from the texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today proclaims that “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.” (Psalm 116.15:) This is evidenced by the attention of Peter to the needs of the sick and dying as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. These are the very sign of the Divine present in the actions of people. It is from this understanding of the mercy and desire of God to be with the sick and dying that a leap can be made to the faith and trust of Peter from the Gospel of John where he is unable to take an alternate path from the one which Jesus is presenting. It is not that Peter understood the theological fine points in Jesus exhortation. It is not that the mystical linkage of Word and Spirit and with the rejection of the flesh was obvious to him, but his indwelling Spirit reacts with a certainty that there is no Life outside of association with Jesus!