SaintPeterEssayRA15

Jesus changed the way life on earth and after earth was forever in the Resurrection. The only thing now was He needed someone to lead His new church after He Ascends into Heaven. Jesus chose St. Peter, the rock of His church. The line of St. Peter continues even today with the Popes. Most people don't know much about the qualities of St. Peter, the reason why Jesus chose St. Peter, and the lessons that the future Popes learned from St. Peter.

The Bible shows the qualities of St. Peter numerous times. For example, in Matthew 4:18-22, Peter dropped everything he was doing in his family's fishing boat and followed Jesus, not knowing who he was or what he was to become later on in Jesus' or his own life. In Matthew 16: 16-19, Jesus asks the Apostles who the people say He is. When the other Apostles answered this, Jesus then asked, "Who do you say I am?" Peter, being the courageous person he was, spoke out and said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus then awarded him with the keys to the kingdom of heaven and earth and, "whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." The final example shown in the Bible is in Matthew 17: 1-9, where Peter tries to be generous and pitch tents for Moses and Elijah. Jesus then tells him that he doesn't have to, and then Jesus became his normal self, and Moses and Elijah disappeared.

Jesus chose Peter as the first Pope because He already knew that he had all of the traits listed above. He knew that he would guide the budding church across the world known at the time, and when his time was up, he knew that he would understand. Jesus also know that he would make some mistakes (like denying Jesus three times during the Way of the Cross), but He also knew that he would triumph in the end (spreading Christianity to the present-day nations of Israel, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, and finally Italy, where he died on an inverted cross).

After Peter's death (presumed around 46 years after Jesus' birth) in Rome, the popes that succeeded him learned very much. Some of the more infamous Popes (like John XII and Julius II) probably did not follow that influence. They broke many sins, including riding into battle fully armored and killing multiple Merbers (Muslims who made communities in Middle Eastern nations) and Moors (Muslims who made communities in present-day Spain, France, Andorra, and Portugal). But some of the more recent popes (like Venerable Pius XII, Saint John XXIII, Blessed Paul VI, and Saint John Paul II) made sure they followed his example by going and reaching out to countries popes have never been to, making decrees that are just and fair, creating firmer solidarity among the Catholic community, and helped the people of the church to understand the Holy Trinity more fully.

We have learned that St. Peter's qualities when he was a person were good, but they also make an example of what a good person should be. They should be loyal and generous. They should reach out to all communities across the world. Finally, they should help people understand Jesus and God better.