29th
JUNE, FEAST OF THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL, SOLEMNITY
I
Reading: Acts 12:1-11
II
Reading: 2 Tim 4:6-8.17-18
Gospel:
Mt 16:13-19
We celebrate
today the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul. Let us thank God for these two
apostles the light and strength they needed to announce the Good News of Jesus
Christ throughout their life-time, and witnessed to Christ at their death
through their shedding of their blood. Both were executed in Rome around the
year 67 A.D., that is, some 35 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
These two
saints are known as the “Pillars of the Church.” The Church of Christ is built
by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ), by the blood of the martyrs and
believers. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
Andrew
brought his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus fixed his eyes on him and said “You
are Simon, son of John; you are to be called Cephas, which means a rock (Jn
1:42).” In today’s Gospel Jesus confirmed and strengthened the faith of Peter
and gave him the power and authority to carry out the mission of Christ and
nothing should destroy or diminish the mission of Christ while proclaiming the
Good News of Christ.
Simon Peter
was an ordinary person and illiterate (Jewish mission) where as Paul was the
highly educated person (Gentile mission). Both invested their whole energy in
Christ and loved him so much and followed him immediately till the end of their
lives even unto death. Even persecution and opposition did not stop them
spreading the Gospel of Christ. Although they had lots of differences and
contracting characters, still they worked together (Unity) and preached the
Good News to the people (diversity) and continued the mission of Christ with a
missionary zeal (universal mission for the salvation of souls).
Let us ask
for God’s grace to strengthen our faith in Christ and imbibe the spirit of
these two saints to continue the mission of Jesus Christ despite persecution,
rejection, opposition and temptation in our vocational journey of Christ.
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