Saint Peter

November 25, 1997

Carolyn’s Description:

The Blessed Mother is dressed in pale blue. She is wearing a white veil with gold along the edges, and it falls down around her and comes around her arms. She is kneeling down. Her face is turned down toward her arms and she is smiling. At first she had a lamb in her arms, a white lamb. Now it is a child, but I didn’t notice it change.

St. Peter is with her. He is dressed in brown and he too is kneeling. He looks older than the Blessed Mother. He has dark hair that is graying in some areas. He has a beard and a mustache. His eyes are dark brown and he is looking toward the Blessed Mother. He has a book in his right hand that is closed and bound in black. In the other, he is holding something like a menorah. There are seven torches on it and each is lit and they come to a common base. On each of them there is a word written: Faith, Hope, Love, Charity, Sacrifice, Martyrdom, Courage.

The Blessed Mother’s Words:

My dear children, it is good to be with you. I have called each of you here tonight because you are to be the recipients of this special grace from the Father. It is for His love of you that this is made possible and it is for my love of you that I have made this request.

My little children, I wish to teach you that God is so very near. I wish to show you His kingdom is without measure, that His goodness is beyond comprehension, and above all His love for you is as vast as the sea. My children, I am so pleased that you have come today in faith and I wish for you to receive this great blessing and this gift.

St. Peter’s Words:

Glory to the Son of Man, to the one who sits on high, to Him who is all things, who always was and ever shall be. His kingdom is without end. Brothers and sisters . . . brothers . . . sisters . . . I love you. Glorify the Lord in your hearts. Pay homage to His mother, queen of the heavens. Join your voices to the voices of the angels saying “Hosanna” and “Alleluia.”

I wish to tell you about the Christ as He was on earth, for I was His brother. I ate with Him. I slept by His side. I saw His labors of His love. I witnessed His mercy. I experienced His goodness. I was there at His betrayal and ultimately it was I with my brother who discovered His tomb empty on that morn. And it was I who gazed upon the risen Lord, the fulfillment of all things, of all prophecy, from age to age, from beginning to end. Let me share with you my words . . . words from one who witnessed all this, from one who now shares in His glory, the glory of the Father, Son, and the Spirit united, perfect in all things and in all ways.

I am nothing without Christ. You know well of me. I was a fisherman . . . poor, hardworking, and lacking God in all ways. Yes, I was a Jew and I, in the synagogue, followed the law. I knew nothing of God . . . He was not with me. I turned my face from Him as I would do after His betrayal three times. For most of my life I wanted nothing of God, not His goodness, not His mercy, not His love.

I had a family as you do. I had children and a wife, parents who loved me and taught me the ways of the Jewish law. And my pride was my great weakness and oh, stubborn days did I see! But He changed all that! From the moment my eyes encountered His gaze, He changed me. He changed my heart. I was nothing before Him. I am nothing without Him.

What a sight it is to see the Son of Man standing, beckoning to you. For in my heart I wanted nothing to do with God and yet, from the first time my eyes fell upon His face, I confess that I knew who He was. And be sure, it would have been better for me if I had not known, for I knew when I betrayed Him who He was. And I chose to walk with Him and to cast away my life to follow Him. You should have seen the things that were said about me, the way people looked at me. I was no stranger to persecution. And often I knew not why I followed Him, save for the way He looked at me, with such compassion and such understanding. He filled my soul.

And so I left all things and I followed Him and He became my master. I, with my brothers, we ate with Him, drank with Him. We preached with Him. We learned. We taught with Him. So many things did He do! How many people did He touch! It is countless. I could not number them. How many of the sick He cured! Nay, His greatest miracles were the changes in the hearts of all those who knew Him. There would be none who would deny He was the Son of Man were they to open their eyes and ears and hear His words.

The time I spent with Him was so joyous, and so sorrowful. There was much confusion and oftentimes I felt as if I should run, run far from Him, from all this . . .this life of traveling, of preaching, of trusting in one who seemed to be no more than a simple man with great love in His heart, save for that mercy! I wish you could have been there. I wish you were able to see. You too would have followed, for you follow Him now and it is much more to your credit, for you have not seen nor heard His words.

The night that He was betrayed, there would be none other so dark for all time. Even then, all those who had pledged their lives to Him deserted Him. What a frightening time it was for me. I had no courage then and I fled. And after when morning came, it was not over, for it got worse. The one whom I had followed, who I had given everything for, my master, was beaten, was judged, was made to walk with a tree on His back, and was hung on that tree where He remained three hours before He died.

Faith . . . faith . . . faith could do nothing for me then. My master had been killed. For what did I give my life? We all . . . all of Jesus’ brothers . . . we knew not what to do. And there were a few who had hope, but I confess it was not I. I worried much more for my own life. Those were dark days without Him. And even after I, setting foot in His tomb, saw that He was not there, still my heart was hard. But on that day, when He in His glory came and was once again with us, when He showed us the wounds in His hands and in His side, when He shined like the stars of the night and had the countenance of a lion with strength and courage, beauty so regal, it was then that my heart was pierced.

What a splendid sight! What a splendid thing! Oh and I was so afraid, and yet so peaceful. And He spoke, “Brothers, God be with you. I have been glorified!” I have been glorified . . . with these words I felt God in my life. And even though He had been with me all along, it was not until then that I felt Him with my heart, with my soul, piercing me with His love. Then He departed from us and He sent the Spirit to come among us to give us the strength and courage to teach all nations of His love, His sacrifice.

There is much you have not been told of His works and His miracles, for it would not be possible to make a list all of His doings. And there is much you have not been told of my life as well. Did you know that I am a coward, except for God’s Spirit who dwells within me? Did you know that I am afraid, except for His boldness? Did you know we are nothing without Him and all good works you do are possible only in Him? Now I share in His goodness with His glory, in His kingdom as it is and always will be, and I have the great gift of looking upon His face each day, that face which I once saw mangled with tears and blood, now glorified. I shall pray for you each day that you would join Him here.

Life . . . life is not as you know it. For that is but a blink of the eyes of God. You have not yet begun to live! My life was full of cowardice. And there was but one thing that I did for my Christ that gives me great pride. I gave up my life for Him as He had done for me. Oh and I was so pleased at that moment, knowing that my sacrifice would never amount to His, but knowing too that I would soon be home to Him.

Be blessed and be praised, God, forever! Look forward with great anticipation to the life you will share with Him. Know that you will meet Him in that heavenly home. He will open His arms to you and embrace you as He embraced me, as He embraces all. May His love guide you. May the Holy Spirit descend upon you. May He give you all that you need that you may be His instrument and, like me, may join Him in heaven.

Give thanks to Him for allowing me to be with you this day. I will pray for you. Know that God is so close to you, as He was close to me those years and I failed to recognize Him. Do not fail to recognize Him in your life. He is there. He is waiting for you to want Him, to love Him, to accept Him, to remember Him. May His peace follow you all the days of your life.

The Blessed Mother’s Words:

My children, I impart to you my motherly blessing. I wish to remind you of my love for you. I thank you for coming together in prayer, for prayer is most important. Wherever my faithful are gathered, I and my son are among them.