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(29th June) Homily for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

READ: (Acts 12: 1-11; 2 Tim 4: 6-8, 17-18; Matt 16: 13-19)

REFLECT:  Encounter Christ deeply and Express Christ daily with others like Sts. Peter and Paul…

Dear friends, today we commemorate the Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul, the two important pillars and cornerstones of the Catholic Church. They both have contributed much to the Catholic Church in its growth and faith. St. Peter is one of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus and St. Paul calls himself an apostle of Christ because of the encounter of the Risen Lord.

St. Peter, the apostle was born in Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. His younger brother Andrew introduced him to Jesus. They both belong to a fisher folk family. He was called by Jesus to catch people for God. It is his definitive call, leaving behind everything (family and occupation) all that he had followed Jesus till end of his life. It is certain that Peter worked hard in Rome as an apostle, the city’s first bishop, and died there as a martyr. According to tradition he also was the first bishop of Antioch. He is also the author of two letters, 1 Peter and 2 Peter. St. Peter spent his last years in Rome, leading the Church through persecution and eventually he was martyred in 65 A.D. on 29th June during the reign of Emperor Nero. As he was not a Roman citizen, he was crucified. But he considered himself unworthy to die in the same way as Jesus died, and so he requested to be crucified upside down. He was buried in the Vatican Necropolis and St. Peter’s Basilica is built over his tomb.

St. Paul was known as Saul before his conversion on the way to Damascus to persecute Christians. He was born at Tarsus in the Roman province of Silicia. He was the son of Jewish parents to the tribe of Benjamin. He was immersed in the Law and trained by a great teacher Gamaliel. He never saw or encountered Jesus during His earthly-life. We hear about Paul at the time of Stephen’s martyrdom because Paul was one of the first at his stoning. Thereafter, his fierce persecution against Christians began and he was moving ahead to Damascus to persecute while he encounters Christ and his converted for Christ. There are three major Journeys St. Paul travelled and they are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 13–14; 16:23–20:38; 18:23–20:38). Perhaps, Paul is one of the most important persons who spread the teachings of Jesus and Christianity by preaching and writing. In fact, 13 out of the 27 books of the New Testament are attributed to St. Paul. That’s the greatness of St. Paul and his work for Christ. After his arrest and a trial in Rome at the time of Nero, the emperor, St. Paul said to have been beheaded as a martyr on the same as St. Peter was crucified on 29th June 65 A.D. and buried near the site of the modern Basilica of St. Paul outside the walls.

So based on the life of Sts. Peter and Paul and the readings of the day, I would like to share with few points of reflection;

1. St. Peter Encounters and expresses Jesus deeply and boldly:

St. Peter and St. Paul have been acclaimed by many till today in the Catholic Church for their deep encounter and experience they had. The encounter and experience of Jesus transformed their life and others too. Just a glimpse of their encounter and experience from the bible will help us deep was their encounter with Jesus.

St. Peter was one of the first disciples called by Jesus to follow him (Matt 4:18-20; Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:10; Jn 1:40-42 ;). When they could catch a haul of fish at the command of Jesus, peter realizes his sinfulness saying, “Lord, leave me, I am a sinful man,” (Lk 5: 7-8). Peter confesses Jesus as Christ the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matt16:13-20; Mk 8:27-30; Lk 9:18-21). Peter walks on water for a moment but begins to sink when his faith wavers (Matt 14:28-31). At the beginning of the Last Supper, Peter initially refuses to let Jesus wash his feet, but later Peter replies: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head” (Jn 13:2-11). St. Peter is given the responsibility to build the church of God and is entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt 16: 18-19). Peter, James and John were present with Jesus during special events. They were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ transfiguration (Mk 9: 2-3), Jesus raising Jairus’s daughter from the dead (Lk 8: 49-56), and agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26: 36-38). So St. Peter was one of the three disciples to witness the greatest moments of glory and agony of Jesus.

Peter denied Jesus three times that he was not with Jesus or his disciples, but vehemently wept and was sorry for his denial (Lk 22:54-62). But the same Peter affirmed three times his love for Jesus to the question asked by Jesus, “Do you love me?” (Jn 21: 15-17). After the ascension, Peter was the leading figure, exercising the role of a shepherd more intensely that Christ had entrusted to him. He preached inspiring first sermon on Pentecost day and brought Cornelius and his family, the first Gentiles into the Church (Acts 10:1). After his miraculous deliverance from prison, Peter went to a different place, most probably to Rome. The presence of Peter is seen at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:1), and of his journey to Antioch is mentioned too (Gal. 2:11).

Yes, the encounter and experience of Peter gives us a glimpse of his human character. He was a courageous follower of the Lord with his weaknesses and strengths. Yet in spite of his human features, Peter was chosen to be the shepherd of God's flock after the heart of Christ. Today, we need to focus on our encounter and experience with God. Is it deep enough to move ourselves and others to Christ? It is not important who we are but if we are ready to serve the Lord and fall in line and love with Christ’s track, he will make use of us as his instruments wonderfully. Moreover, the first reading from the acts of the Apostle presents before us the scene how Peter was imprisoned by King Herod, but the angel of the Lord releases Peter out of the prison, reminding him of the mission that he had to preach and bear witness to Christ. Perhaps, peter thought he was seeing a vision but could not comprehend that it was real.

Yes, the Lord makes use of the one who is called for his work and for the propagation of faith. We may be bound or chained by various things in life, but the Lord will release us to share his life and ministry through us, provided we are ready and cooperate with him like Peter. Although, Peter was chained and bound with human limitations, yet God through Jesus raised him as a shepherd and leader of the Church. The one who believes and relies, the one who experiences and encounters God obtain the transformative power to transform oneself and to transform others. So let us pray for such encounter and experience in life.

2.     St. Paul encounters and Expresses Jesus deeply and boldly:

We have heard and known for several times the life of St. Paul, his former life and later stages of life. He could forego everything for the sake of Christ and his mission. He even discarded himself to the cause of Christ saying, “I consider everything a waste, because of the precious worth of knowing Christ,” (Phil 3:8).  The Damascus experience of encounter between Jesus and him brought a drastic change in Paul’s life. The intervention of God is so powerful that nothing can interrupt and nothing could stop us, because God involves in it and takes complete care of all that we do. St. Paul had to face lots of hardships in life, but he was never abandoned by God, because God was with him, Christ intervened his life and the Holy Spirit surrounded him always.

In all the journeys that Paul travelled the hand of God was there. However, the three major missionaries are worth mentioning with regard to his missionary venture and enthusiasm. The first major missionary journey began upon his return as he and Barnabas brought the Gospel to Cyprus and Asia Minor (46-49 A.D.). The second missionary journey traveling through Asia Minor and then crossing over to Europe and founding churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth (50-52 A.D.). The Third missionary journey of Paul took him to Ephesus (54-58 A.D.), where he labored three years with good success and he returned to Jerusalem. There he was accused of condemning the Law by the Jewish people. Yes, the prime purpose of all his missionary journeys revolved around proclaiming God’s grace and offer of forgiveness of sin by the self-emptying love of Jesus Christ.

Today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to Second Timothy attests the final accomplishment of St. Paul about the missionary journeys that he embarked. The famous words and faith-oriented statements of Paul is, “I have fought a good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith.” The beauty of this scriptural passage is that St. Paul acknowledges that he was able to accomplish the mission, because the Lord stood by and strengthened him, therefore, he gives all credit to God himself. Today, it is our part too to acknowledge God’s hand at work in every achievement or success in life, because it is God who makes it to happen, it is God who wills and it’s God who directs and decides. At times our petty minds can’t grasp or accept the fact that God does it. It’s because of our human limitations full of ego and pride. Let us cast away our pseudo-pride and ego and accept God’s mighty work and wonders in our lives.

Yes, both Sts. Peter and Paul are cornerstones of the Church to plant and spread forth steadily the message of Christ to many places. The Gospel reading of the day unfolds to us the manifesto of Jesus’ identity by Peter. By the deep experience and encounter he had with Jesus in his life, by the grace of God, he could share the identity of Jesus to the entire assembly gathered that “Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The deep experience and authentic expression of Peter made Jesus to entrust him with a greater responsibility of shepherding Christ’s flock, the Church, “you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church…. I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”  St. Paul too on his part gains the momentum of life when he encountered Jesus on the way to Damascus. The deep experience and the strong bond with Jesus during his journey to different places, St. Paul could tell, “I have been crucified with Christ, it is I who live but Christ lives in me,” (Gal 2:20). It is because both the saints had complete faith and trust in God, Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s what we are called to do on this feast day.

Just to conclude, Pope Francis on the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul gives us a beautiful message to reflect and respond saying, “The journey of faith is never a walk in the park, for anyone, not for Peter nor for Paul, not for any Christian.  He further invites each one of us so ask ourselves the following questions: “When I profess my faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, do I do so with the awareness that I must always be learning, or do I assume that I ‘already have it all figured out’? In difficulties and trials, do I become discouraged, do I complain, or do I learn to make them an opportunity to grow in trust in the Lord? Yes, Sts. Peter and Paul were the pillars of the Church that contributed largely to its growth by the grace of God, through Jesus in the Holy Spirit. For such an encounter and experience, we need immerse ourselves in faith and the faith completely entrusts in God’s hands and dives into the ocean of God’s grace in confidence. 

RESPOND:

Do we encounter Christ in our daily lives and express it lovingly yet boldly to others?

Do we accept that behind every success that we experience, it is God who works?

Do we have faith that completely relies on God’s power and grace?

Let us pray that we encounter Christ daily and express it with others lovingly and loyally. Amen.

God bless us all! Happy Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul!

Live Jesus

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS