Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles ~ 29 June 2015 (Solemnity)

The feast commemorates a solemn celebration in honour of Saints Peter and Paul, two of the great apostles and the principal Patrons of the Church of Rome. Peter, was one of the earliest of twelve apostles chosen by Jesus, and he also was our first pope. Saint Paul never met Jesus prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection, but had a conversion experience with the risen Christ while on the road to Damascus which converted him from a persecutor of Christians to become “Apostle to the Gentiles.” Peter, preached of the Gospel among the Jewish people and Paul, the mission among the Gentiles. We celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.

Peter, prior to Jesus calling was known as Simon, a fisherman by trade. Jesus called Peter, along with his brother Andrew, James, and John, to leave everything behind to become His followers, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men”(Matthew 4:19). Paul, prior to Jesus calling was known as Saul, an educated Jew and a member of the Pharisee, as well as being a Roman citizen. Saul persecuted the Christians savagely, but was converted by the risen Christ the one that he had been persecuting after seeing Jesus in a vision on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:4). Peter being martyred in 64 AD, by crucifixion upside down because he said he was not worthy to be sacrificed in the same manner as Christ. Peter was martyred in 67 AD, he was beheaded. Like St.Paul, we must always be on fire for the Lord, and proclaim Him to everyone and in every situation, no matter how difficult it can sometimes be to do so. St. Peter demonstrates to us how difficult discipleship can truly be, but is also an example of the Lord choosing the weak and making them strong in bearing witness to Him. 

Faith in Christ is the light of our life as Christians and as ministers in the Church. Let yourselves be consumed by love for Christ and his Gospel, to become all things to everyone. It is your task to hold nothing back, to go outside of yourselves in the service of the faithful and holy people of God.

The words in the passage from the Gospel of Matthew 16:13-23 below, shows us the confirmation of faith made by Peter in Christ, and the words from the reading from 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, reveals to us Paul's confirmation of love in Christ.

Matthew 16:13-23

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare′a Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli′jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.”

Grant, we pray, O Lord our God, that we may be sustained by the intercession of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, that, as through them you gave your Church the foundations of her heavenly office, so through them you may help her to eternal salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

Acts 12:1-11

In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.

He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,

and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews

he proceeded to arrest Peter also.

–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–

He had him taken into custody and put in prison

under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.

He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.

Peter thus was being kept in prison,

but prayer by the Church was fervently being made

to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,

Peter, secured by double chains,

was sleeping between two soldiers,

while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.

Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him

and a light shone in the cell.

He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,

“Get up quickly.”

The chains fell from his wrists.

The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”

He did so.

Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”

So he followed him out,

not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;

he thought he was seeing a vision.

They passed the first guard, then the second,

and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,

which opened for them by itself.

They emerged and made their way down an alley,

and suddenly the angel left him.

Then Peter recovered his senses and said,

“Now I know for certain

that the Lord sent his angel

and rescued me from the hand of Herod

and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”

Reading 2

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,

and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have competed well; I have finished the race;

I have kept the faith.

From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,

which the Lord, the just judge,

will award to me on that day, and not only to me,

but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,

so that through me the proclamation might be completed

and all the Gentiles might hear it.

And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat

and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.

To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel

Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi

he asked his disciples,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,

still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

And so I say to you, you are Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my Church,

and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles (Solemnity) - La Festa di San Pietro e Paolo

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul on the 29 June. Sts. Peter and Paul are the foundations of the early church now the See of Rome, through their preaching, ministry and martyrdom there. Sts. Peter and Paul are at the origin of her faith and will forever remain as her protectors and guide.

Peter from Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee, who was named Simon, was a fisherman of Galilee and was brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew and Jesus gave Simon the name Cephas (Petrus in Latin and Kephas in Hebrew), which means ‘Rock,’ as he was to become the rock upon which Christ would build His Church. He was the first among the disciples to recognize that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and eagerly pledged his fidelity until death. He is the one who had little faith when walking on water when Christ called him and also the one who denies knowing Jesus three times before the cock crows the night of Christ passion.

Peter was chosen to shepherd God's flock as in the Acts of the Apostles is written of his role as chief shepherd of the Church after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and he delivered the first sermon on Pentecost where he received the first Gentiles into the Church. Peter became the first Pope. St. Peter spent his last years in Rome, leading the Church through persecution and eventually being martyred under Nero, in A.D. 66 or 67. He was crucified upside-down at his own request, because he claimed he was not worthy to die as his Lord. He was buried on Vatican hill, and St. Peter's Basilica is built over his tomb.

St. Paul was born at Tarsus in the Roman province of Silicia, the son of Jewish parents who belonged to the tribe of Benjamin and he is known as the Apostle of the Gentiles. His letters are included in the writings of the New Testament, and through them we learn much about his life and the faith of the early Church.

He was Saul before receiving the name Paul, a Jewish pharisee who zealously persecuted Christians in Jerusalem and he was was present at the stoning martyrdom of St. Stephen. Saul's conversion (25 January marks the Conversion of St. Paul) took place on the road to Damascus to persecute the Christian there. As he was traveling a great light from heaven suddenly surrounded and blinded him. He fell off his horse and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He answered: “Who are you, Lord?” and the voice answered “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”. Saul then continued to Damascus, where his sight was restored and he was baptized where he took the name Paul. Barnabas introduced him to the Christian community and brought him to the newly founded Christian community at Antioch where spent the remainder of his life preaching the Gospel tirelessly to the Gentiles of the Mediterranean world.

Paul was imprisoned and taken to Rome, where he was beheaded in the via Ostia in the year A.D. 66. He was buried in Rome in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. His fourteen letters are a precious legacy and they afford a deep insight into a great soul.

“Both the apostles share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles' blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.”

~ St. Augustine of Hippo @ Sermon in the year 395 ~

Saturday, June 29, 2013
Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles (Solemnity)

Reading 1

Acts 12: 1 - 11
1	About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.
2	He killed James the brother of John with the sword;
3	and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.
4	And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
5	So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
6	The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison;
7	and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands.
8	And the angel said to him, "Dress yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me."
9	And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10	When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him.
11	And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

Psalm

Psalms 34: 2 - 9
2	My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and be glad.
3	O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
4	I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5	Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.
6	This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7	The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8	O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!
9	O fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want!

Reading 2

2 Timothy 4: 6 - 8, 17 - 18
6	For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come.
7	I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8	Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
17	But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the message fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
18	The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel

Matthew 16: 13 - 19
13	Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"
14	And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15	He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16	Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17	And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18	And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
19	I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."