PETER AND PAUL, Apostles  

June 29, Tuesday

Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

 Today we celebrate with joy the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. They  are the two pillars on whom our Lord built his Church and to whom he entrusted the faith. Their own faith had been tested, when Peter denied Christ and Paul persecuted Christ in his disciples. Then their faith was strengthened and they dedicated their whole life to the spread of the gospel. We can learn from them today how to let Christ possess us so much that we live for him and his Church and are even willing to suffer for that faith. Let us give thanks today to the Lord for giving us these great apostles.

 

First Reading: Acts 12:1-11

That’s when King Herod got it into his head to go after some of the church members. He murdered James, John’s brother. When he saw how much it raised his popularity ratings with the Jews, he arrested Peter—all this during Passover Week, mind you—and had him thrown in jail, putting four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He was planning a public lynching after Passover.

All the time that Peter was under heavy guard in the jailhouse, the church prayed for him most strenuously.

Then the time came for Herod to bring him out for the kill. That night, even though shackled to two soldiers, one on either side, Peter slept like a baby. And there were guards at the door keeping their eyes on the place. Herod was taking no chances!

Suddenly there was an angel at his side and light flooding the room. The angel shook Peter and got him up: “Hurry!” The handcuffs fell off his wrists. The angel said, “Get dressed. Put on your shoes.” Peter did it. Then, “Grab your coat and let’s get out of here.” Peter followed him, but didn’t believe it was really an angel—he thought he was dreaming.

Past the first guard and then the second, they came to the iron gate that led into the city. It swung open before them on its own, and they were out on the street, free as the breeze. At the first intersection the angel left him, going his own way. That’s when Peter realized it was no dream. “I can’t believe it—this really happened! The Master sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s vicious little production and the spectacle the Jewish mob was looking forward to.”

 

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18

You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming.

The Master stood by me and helped me spread the Message loud and clear to those who had never heard it. I was snatched from the jaws of the lion! God’s looking after me, keeping me safe in the kingdom of heaven. All praise to him, praise forever! Oh, yes!

 

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.

 “And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”

 

Prayer

Lord our God, we thank you today
for your apostles Peter and Paul.
Give us their faith and fidelity,
that we may build among us,
as a community of faith and love,
the Church for which they lived and died.
Give us their conviction and courage
to let the whole world share in the Good News
of your Son Jesus Christ,
that he may be everything to all,
now and for ever. Amen.

 

Reflection:

United in one faith

Bishop Joseph Ha, auxiliary bishop of Hong Kong gave a beautiful reflection on the two pillars of the Church – Saints and Peter and Paul. What we celebrate is not just the two great apostles, instead we are celebrating the unity of the Church. Peter and Paul were individuals with totally different characters, social background and life situations. Peter was an illiterate fisherman, while Paul was well educated Pharisee and trained under a renowned Rabbi.

Jesus renamed Simon as Peter which meant Rock – symbolising stability. Paul, on the other hand, is seen always on the move, travelled around and established numerous communities. When they met each other, they quarrelled and fought severely. In Antioch, Paul publicly insulted Peter by calling him a hypocrite (Gal 1:11-14)!

They had more differences than what they had in common. In fact they had just one thing in common: Faith in Jesus as the Messiah – the Son of God who was killed and was risen. As a result, relations between the two apostles were restored. Peter, in his letter, calls Paul “our beloved brother” (2 P 3:15). Together they gave their lives to Christ and today we celebrate their feast together.

The Church is, thus celebrating the unity, in spite of all its diversities. In spite of all the differences we have, the Church invites us to confess our one faith in the Messiah.
By handing over the keys to Peter, Jesus does not charge him to be the doorkeeper of paradise. Instead, he tells him to “become an example to the flock” . He entrusts him to open wide to all the entrance to the knowledge of Christ and of his gospel.

The one who passes through the door opened by Peter with his profession of faith encounters salvation; those who refuse remain excluded. The image of binding and loosing refers to decisions on moral choices. It also indicated the power to make judgments of approval or condemnation of people’s behaviour and thus to admit or to exclude them from the community.

Today’s Gospel passage makes it is clear that Peter is entrusted with a particular task in the church. It is he who always appears first, is called to feed the lambs and the sheep and to sustain his brothers and sisters in the faith.

Misunderstandings and disagreements are born from the way service was done. Throughout the ages, many times from being a sign of love and unity, the apostolic ministry became an expression of power. The exercise of this ministry is to be matched all the time with the gospel so that the bishop of Rome is for all— “he who presides over charity”. Let us continue to pray for the Pope and for the Petrine Ministry and that our faith in Jesus may keep all the people as brothers and sisters.

 

Video available on YouTube: United in one faith