Saint Peter Chanel was born in the town of Cuet in France in 1803. After ordination to the priesthood, he was engaged in pastoral work for a few years. He then joined the Marists and journeyed to Oceania to preach the Gospel. Despite many hardships he converted some of the natives to the faith. Out of hatred for the faith, a band of native warriors killed him in 1841 on the island of Futuna.
In the gospel passage we see Jesus calling the first disciples. The call was clear, the response was immediate and generous. Such has been the call to religious vocation throughout the centuries. Peter Chanel heard the call and immediately responded with a generous dedication of his life to Christ and his missionary work to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth.
The message that Peter brought to the island natives of Oceania was of the Cross of Christ – which involved the contradictory idea that greatness lies in smallness, significance lies in insignificance, power lies in weakness, life lies in death. And Peter was called upon to practice what he preached by falling victim to the misunderstanding, the apprehensions, the fears and the prejudices of the pagan natives of the South Sea Islands. He fearlessly met the challenge. He did not shrink from the task any more than Jesus did from his – and he was rewarded with the crown of martyrdom: which is perfect configuration to the self-sacrificial redeeming life of Christ.
We thank God this day for the life and ministry of St. Peter Chanel and we congratulate and pray for the Marist Order throughout the world that they may continue to be inspired by the heroic life and death of their protomartyr.
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News!
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