St. Peter and St. Paul
Today, we celebrate the solemnity of St Peter and St Paul. These two great men are the princes of the Apostles. Even though they were sinners and weak in the flesh, yet God chose them and gave them power so that through them the whole message, the Good News of Christ’s Death and Resurrection, and God’s love for all nations might be proclaimed for all the world to hear. But, how is it possible that God chose such men for this great job of keeping united the Church under one pastor and at the same time commit to evangelizing? Peter was just a fisherman, and later he would even betray Jesus. Of the second we know something from his letter to the Galatians about how he “was merciless in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage he did”. And yet, God chose to reveal to him his Son so that he could preach the Good News to the pagans. Even though he was very much against the Church, he could not resist the love of God and gave himself completely to sharing and bringing the Good News to the farthest ends of the earth. Even to the point of giving up his own life.
The question of Jesus we heard in the Gospel of today can be put to all of us today: “Who do you say that I am?” The Lord said: the general opinion is quite uncertain, divided, it is not clear: John the Baptist? Elijah? One of the prophets? But you? You have known me for a long time, we have been together, we had meals together, we walked up and down Jerusalem, what is your judgement? All the apostles were still uncertain, having no idea of what to say, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter was the first to answer. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”
To Peter are given the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the authority to bind and to loose.
But what are the keys and of what kind of door is Peter appointed to be guardian? Christ is the door, as he declares; and the key to that door is faith, the faith which he entrusted to his chief disciple. And even more consoling, Jesus encourages Peter to take even a step further saying:
“The gates of the underworld can never hold against it”. Through the feast of today, we understand that God works through poor men, and gives them the grace to fulfill his work.
Let us pray then for the Pope, the successor of Peter, and all our bishops who are the successors of the Apostles and all those involved in the evangelization around the world. We pray that they may continue in the pastoral care for the people of God and that we may be guided by them and not go astray.
St Peter and St Paul, pray for us!
