The Feast of Two Saintly Men

Today is the Feast Day of two pillars of the Christian Faith. It is the Feast Day of Saints Peter (Simon) and Paul (Saul). Saint Peter was the rock on which Christ built his church. Saint Paul was instrumental in bringing the faith to the Gentiles.

In the Latin Rite, today marks a Holy Day of Obligation unless suppressed by the Conference of Bishops. Because of the great important of these two men in the spread of the Christian Faith, many countries that are predominately Catholic celebrate this day as a Public Holiday. Wouldn’t it be nice if every feast day were a public holiday? Yeah, we’d never get anything done because every day is someone’s feast day within the Church.

You would think that these two men would have been the best of friends. Granted Saint Paul, when known as Saul, persecuted early Christians, which might explain Saint Peter’s animosity toward him. But then again, that does not make sense since the entire message Christ brought to the world was one of love and forgiveness. Perhaps it was because Peter saw Christ as the promised Messiah to the Jews and not to the whole of the world. And yet Christ chose Peter as the first Pope, the one who founded the Catholic Religion. The Lord knew that salvation was for all mankind. It just took Peter time to realize that truth.

Often I hear from my Protestant friends that so much of the Catholic Faith is “made up”. Confession – made up. The Eucharist – made up. How can this be?

John 20:23 “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” To hear those all-important words “You are forgiven”, we must first be willing to confess. It’s not made up. Does the priest actually have the power of forgiveness? Not really. He is merely Christ’s repetitive, as were the Apostles. The authority has always been and will always be with Jesus. People also think Catholics just go around doing whatever we please because all we need do is go to confession. There is a catch. The priest tells you “Go, and sin no more.” If you confess adultery, and you receive forgiveness, this does not mean you can continue to be an adulterer. To receive forgiveness, remorse is required. You must be willing to change that behavior. So confession is not a blank check. I suppose you could go to a different priest each time to receive forgiveness, but God would know. And since a priest doesn’t have the power to wipe away the offense, it remains until you truly sin no more. Does that mean you are perfect? Hardly. You will sin again. Hopefully a less offensive sin, but we are human and therefore we falter. God knew that. He loves us in spite of our imperfections.

As for the Eucharist, we don’t have enough hours in the day for me to explain the transformation that takes place at the alter. Again, the priest is a stand-in. He cannot change bread into the body or wine into the blood. The Holy Spirit, the third person in the Holy Trinity, can and does. It is why the bells are rung during Mass, signaling the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

The Gospel According to Saint Luke 22:19-20
And taking bread, He gave thanks, and brake; and gave to them saying: “this is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me.”

In like manner the chalice also, after He had supped, saying :this is the chalice, the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you.”

Not man-made, but instituted by Christ himself. Happy are those called to His supper. Happy are those who honor the Saints and strive to follow in their footsteps.

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Scallops are associated mainly with Saint James. In our house, any excuse to enjoy a spicy meal featuring some sort of seafood such as shrimp or scallops is welcome. This was Hubby’s favorite thing to order in another lifetime. The Rio Casino was our go-to spot back then, and the Voodoo Steak was one of two favorite spots for an amazing meal. The other was Antonio’s. While Voodoo is still there, alas Antonio’s is no more. Not that it matters, since I don’t see us returning to a life in Sin City anytime soon. For us it was a merry-go-round way of existing; one that I want no part of again. Still, I do miss the fine dining of Las Vegas. But only if I can dine out while wearing my Pjs. Cooking restaurant inspired meals at home is the next best thing to dining out in comfort. Now if only I could get out of cleaning the kitchen. And maybe enjoy that 50th floor view.

Cajun Sea Scallops over Voodoo Rice
Sea Scallops
2 lbs Sea Scallops
2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
5 teaspoons Olive Oil, divided
Dash Fresh Black Pepper
1 tablespoons Butter
1 firm Roma Tomato

Rinse scallops and pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine Cajun Seasoning and Garlic Powder with 3 teaspoons olive oil. Stir to create a thick mixture. Add scallops, toss by hand until the scallops are well coated. Season with a dash of black pepper, toss again.

Pour scallops into a resealable plastic bag. Place in a casserole dish flat and spread scallops out inside the bag. Refrigerate for at lease 6 hours or overnight.

Roasted Peppers
6 or more Large Jalapeno Peppers

Line a baking sheet with foil. Split pepper in half, place cut-side down on the baking sheet. Place under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source. Broil for about 4 minutes or until skin is blistered.

Remove from oven, place an inverted glass bowl over the peppers to trap steam as the peppers cool. The steam will loosen the skin. Steam split peppers for about 15 minutes.

Let pepper cool to the point of handling. Gently peel away the charred skin. Store peeled peppers in a bag in the freezer to use as desired. Warning: Pepper heat will increase once frozen as the ice crystals considerate the oils of the peppers.

Voodoo Rice
1/2 whole White or Spanish Onion
1 large roasted Jalapeno Pepper
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 cup White Rice
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel Tomatoes
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup Water
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Peel and chop onion. Stem and dice roasted Jalapeno Pepper.

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle onions with cayenne pepper. Add rice, brown slightly.

Add diced tomatoes, chicken stock, diced jalapenos and water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a rolling boil.

Reduce heat, simmer uncovered until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is soft, about 30 minutes. Keep warm until ready to use.

To cook Scallops: Heat butter with remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook scallops for about 2 minutes per side. Scallops should be firm to the touch and nicely browned. Drain, then return to pan to keep warm

To Assemble and Serve: Cut tomato into quarters, remove seeds and set aside. Place Voodoo Rice in a large serving bowl or rimmed platter. Spread rice out. Top rice with scallops, garnish with tomatoes. Serve with warm bread and enjoy.

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 Alleluia, alleluia.
You are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
Alleluia, alleluia.