I was doing daily offices at Mission St. Clare and noted that today is the day when the Church commemorates the martyrdom of Peter and Paul.

Peter confessed "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God!" and is believed to have been crucified upside down.

Paul reached a point in his ministry where he proclaimed "To live is Christ, to die is gain." He is said to have been beheaded.

Are we ready and able to count the cost of following Christ? It is not likely that we in the Western Church face crucifixion or beheading; in fact, the road is generally pretty smooth. Most of the time it costs us nothing to follow Christ.

Perhaps there is power in costly discipleship ...

Grace and peace.