The passage from Acts describes Peter's actions - he heals a sick person and raises another from the dead. The words "get up" or "stand up" are used in both healing stories. These words are similar to the ones used by Jesus Himself.

Whereas Jesus' healings often led to a sense of awe and wonder but not always to full belief in him, the cure of Aeneas by Peter resulted in many people believing in Jesus. It shows that the focus of the healing stories in the first reading is on how signs helped spread Christianity along the Mediterranean coast.

Furthermore, these miracle stories serve as a prelude to a far more important story which follows later. It is a story which also involves Peter. That is the conversion of Cornelius and his household. It highlights Peter's role in the spread of Christianity among the Gentiles.

In the Gospel, Peter comes into prominence again. Amidst the crisis faced by the early disciples regarding the identity of Jesus, Peter takes a risk, opens himself to the Word and confesses his faith in Jesus.

We need models of faith. Today, we are presented with one - the person of Peter. If Peter had focused on his human weakness, he might have given up his faith in Jesus. Instead, he focused on Jesus and on Jesus' life-giving words, which he accepted in faith.