Simon Called Peter: In the Company of a Man in Search of God

by Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori

"At every stage of my life as a man, a Christian, a monk, an abbot, I have found Saint Peter to be a companion to walk ahead of me... Peter is the Gospel saint who is more 'us' than any other, closer to our own humanity, yet so close to Christ. Peter is the one we can always follow."— Dom Mauro-Giuseppe LeporiSimon Peter, the fisherman who was both attracted to Jesus and repelled by his own weakness, who in faith walked on the water and in fear began to sink; the ardent disciple who promised to die for His Lord and then moments later betrayed Him, who needed to reaffirm his yes to God over and over again, even unto a martyr's Is this not a model for many of us who desire to love and trust the Lord completely, yet who struggle daily to pick up our cross and follow Him?

Abbot Lepori's meditation on the relationship between our Lord and Saint Peter invites us to consider our own relationship with Christ. As he imaginatively retells the well-known stories from the Gospels, he revivifies them and makes them present to us, deepening our understanding of the calling we have received from Jesus and strengthening our confidence that the Lord will, indeed, bring to completion the work of love He has begun in us.

"You are carried into the events narrated here... and you see them with your own eyes and heart, more than if you had been there." —from the Foreword by Cardinal Angelo Scola, Patriarch of Venice

Genres: Catholic, Esp

134 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nick Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I’ve read this book and it only got better. I read it the first time after my first summer serving as a missionary, and finishing it now as I’m winding down on the end of my first full year as a missionary has shown me how much my heart has changed. Jesus has been so faithful to me and through anything I have ever done he still calls me. What a gift it is to follow Jesus.

“Ever since Jesus had begged for his love —‘Do you love me?’— Peter lived by begging for his own, begging for everything from him. For this reason, the immense demands of the mission that Jesus had entrusted to him was not a burden. Everything was embraced in the exchange of love with the Lord, and it was a delight to hear himself called by the Lord in the voice of the poor, the sinners, all of these people in distress. It was a gift to be able to answer the Lord over and over again: ‘You know that I love you!’ in every word he spoke, every action he performed, every step he took.”

[Alaina Coulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The body wasn’t there. The tomb was empty. John was looking over his shoulder. Peter turned to him, and his questioning eyes met the face of an astonished child, breathless, surprised by a joy that surpassed the ability of the eyes, the voice, the hands to express it. Peter started to say, “Do you actually think that…“ But he understood that John would not be able to say any better in words what his entire being was already saying.”

Ahhhhh I’m ready!

[Colleen Sholtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting because it took creative freedom with Peter’s thoughts and things throughout the Gospels. I just love Peter so I thoroughly enjoyed. So much hope with him! Thanks Jackson for the rec

[Rachel Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

(5⭐️) This book was such a beautiful surprise to me. I picked it up on a whim and am so glad that I did! While the Gospels feature Peter as a main character, we only get so much from them. Lepori breaks open many of the well-known Gospel passages that feature Peter with a very sensitive internal lens: almost as if we’re getting a first-hand look at Peter’s inner dialogue. While a lot of this inner dialogue is probably speculative, there is something very touching and refreshing about seeing the various Gospel passages through Peter’s eyes. A beautiful, short book that provides a lot to meditate on.

[Bethany Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of my favorite books that I have ever read. It takes you into the mind of Peter and the Apostles and is very immersive. It was an easy read and I would recommend everyone read this book!

[Simão Coimbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muito fácil de ler, mas um bocado infantil

[Akvilė Kergytė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Labai įtaigai parašyta knyga, taip jautriai ir tuo pačiu taip žiauriai sunku suvokt savo ribotumą.
Mane labai teigiamai nustebino, kad kartais nereikia daug žodžių jog pasakytum esmę. Sudėtingus dalykus aiškina labai paprastai. Provokuojanti mąstyti Šv. Petro veiksmus, reakcijas, kalbas, ir kaip jis keičiasi, jai jis seka Jėzumi.
Kad mes kiekvienas esame šiek tiek Petras.
Labai patiko.

[Terra Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very awesome perspective/point of view in which it was written! Very relatable and could put myself into the story- motivating as to how I can view my vocation.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging read that will give you plenty to ponder. You will gain new insights into St. Peter and yourself as well. This is one you will want to read again.

[Brother Gregory Rice, SOLT · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope more of this guy’s stuff gets published in English.

[Giedre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Labai gera knyga. Yra jos vertimas lietuvių kalba.

[Ygrable · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo leo cada año, especialmente en Cuaresma.

[Daniel C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nel Vangelo, come un personaggio fra gli altri. Conoscendo Gesù attraverso gli occhi di Pietro.

[Melina Maeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top 3 books and a significant influence on my relationship with Jesus.

[Krista Jorgensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little book!

[Harlie Gehling · Rating 2 out of 5]

The epilogue was the best chapter. I didn't really like it because it added so much assumption and fiction to the gospel stories, but overall, the lessons it portrayed were cool.

[noe🌻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“El que lo dejó todo para que no se perdiera nada.”
Pedro, el discípulo más cercano a Cristo, la piedra de su Iglesia, pero también el más cercano a nosotros en su debilidad y flaqueza. El que mediante ellas nos acerca a la verdadera humanidad y divinidad de Jesús.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow at times, but there are some real gems in here. It's a really easy to read yet profound narrative of St. Peter that presents him in all his relatable weakness while maintaining a thoroughly Catholic understanding, love, and respect for the primacy of Peter.

[Moonlight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poco più di 100 pagine, ma intense e belle. Chi scrive non solo ha una profonda conoscenza del Vangelo, ma anche la capacità di calare il lettore nella ricostruzione di momenti, luoghi, episodi come se si trovasse proprio lì.
Lettura adatta a tutti (credenti e non) perché propone le figure di Gesù e di Pietro nella loro umanità: paure, sofferenze, bisogno di amore l'uno dell'altro.
Proprio questa è una delle cose che mi ha colpito, che Gesù, al di sopra di tutto, desidera che il suo amore venga ricambiato dagli esseri umani, qui rappresentati da Pietro ("Gesù mendicava il suo amore, mendicava ciò di cui aveva bisogno" pag 99).
Altra cosa ben descritta, il manifestarsi di Gesù dopo la Resurrezione: "...ogni frangente di vita poteva di colpo diventare luogo e circostanza che Lui sceglieva per manifestarsi......era Lui solo a decidere quando e come voleva manifestarsi....ogni istante, anche il più banale, poteva diventare l'istante della sua presenza" (pagg 93, 94). E a volte e i discepoli non Lo riconoscevano subito (pag 93), esattamente come accade ancora oggi, duemila anni dopo, il Risorto decide come e quando incontrare gli esseri umani, da lui supremamente amati, e a volte non viene riconosciuto.
Per coloro invece per cui gli occhi si aprono e lo riconoscono è "per il loro cuore un'esplosione di gioia"(pag 93)

[Cliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book, written by a Swiss Priest, is in its own way, just about perfect. Lepori basically just goes story by story in the Bible, and more fully explores what Peter may have, and in some cases must have, felt, thought, observed and partaken in. The great thing about it is not its theological depth, although there is some of that, nor it brilliant writing, although it's often quite good. It's that it doesn't even attempt to be more than it is, or make Peter to be more than he is. It's the observations, feelings, thoughts and actions of a fisherman who wants to be close to his friend, his Lord, his God, and what it means for him, and thus, what it means for all of us.

Catholics of course put a greater weight on the importance of Peter than other branches of Christianity does. But Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant will all learn more about a truly great man, whom Jesus loved, and, in the process, learn more about Christ, and how he loves us.

[Madyson Hamling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book- a lot of cool insights into the lives of disciples and their relationship with Christ; so much gratitude for the access we now have because of the Holy Spirit!

[Pater Edmund]

A book which springs directly out of Lectio Divina. Reminds me a bit of S. Aelred

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a history book but a great meditation on Peter and his relationship with Jesus.