At first glance, it might seem daunting to consider the founding fathers of the Catholic Church, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, as we are called to do today. Both served tirelessly in support of the early Christians, traveling the known world, demonstrating the saving love of Christ in word and deed, and training and equipping church leaders throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

Are we called to be like them? Is it possible for ordinary people like you and I to consider such a calling? I look at Peter and Paul in this light and say to myself, "I could never do that."

On the other hand, if we look closely at the lives of both saints, we might find their example less intimidating. Peter, while called the "rock" of the church by Christ, was also warned, "Get behind me, Satan" by Jesus when Peter urged him to resist his death. Also, during Christ's trial and crucifixion, Peter denied even knowing Jesus three times to onlookers who would incriminate him as one of Jesus' companions.

Paul, of course, first appears on the New Testament as a fierce opponent of the Christian faith, angrily prosecuting Christians for violating Jewish laws and traditions. Paul single mindedly defended the tradition he had been taught, and refused to consider that the Jesus of the early church could in fact be the fulfillment of all that he had studied and worshipped.

Paul presided over the stoning of Stephen, on of the church's first martyrs, and until God literally stopped him in his tracks worked with all his strength against the new church.

You and I might have more in common with these mighty saints than we first thought. I have certainly hidden or denied my faith in front of friends, coworkers, and family members when I felt it would be uncomfortable to identify myself as a Christian. And while I can't say I persecuted anyone for being a Christian, I have kept my mind closed to new ideas, or to circumstances when God's plans did not meet my expectations, and stubbornly resisted change.

The good news, of course, is that God is not limited by our weaknesses, mistakes and failures. Quite the contrary, it seems that it is our flaws that become strengths with God's transforming love. The same zeal Paul had for Judaism enabled him to lead the effort to expand Christianity beyond Judaism into the gentile world. Peter's mistakes, and the forgiveness Christ offered him, seem to have prepared him to be the first great pastor of the church in his position as the first bishop of Rome.

Are we called to be like Peter and Paul? Yes. We are called to follow Jesus as best we can, and we are allowed to fail. Jesus does not call us to be perfect, but to be faithful. While both Peter and Paul demonstrated heroic faith in their lives, they also demonstrated genuine human frailty. Rather than look at their mighty deeds and think, "I could never do that," we can look at their fearfulness and spiritual blindness and know that if they can be saints, so can you and I.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa. He may be reached at bptidings@yahoo.com.