The
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
(Acts 12:1-11; II Timothy 4:6-8.17-18; Matthew 16:13-19)
Today we celebrate the two greatest apostles. Peter was named by Jesus in front of his other
disciples to lead the Church. Paul’s
call took place in a personal encounter with the Lord. He was sent specifically to non-Jews
who came to make up the majority of Christians.
Both were martyred in Rome around
the year 64.
The histories of both Peter and Paul illustrate the
Christian belief in a personal God. Today’s
first reading shows Peter being miraculously rescued from prison. It came at a critical time. Peter like James was about to be slain by the
sword of one of Herod’s henchmen. The
Lord, however, spared him so that he might bring Church administration to Rome. Paul always felt himself in close communion with
Jesus. The second reading testifies to his
sense of Christ assistance at crucial junctures in his mission.
The critical element of Christian belief is that God is
personal. He not only exists from
eternity as a communion of persons, he also became human to interact with
us. The testimony from the lives of both
Peter and Paul today shows that his personal presence did not end with his
Ascension. Christ comes to each of us as
well in varied ways. He is found in the
Christian community where divine love is palpable. He is heard in the word of God and even ingested
in the Eucharistic sacrament. He is also,
quite wonderfully, present in the solitude of our hearts.
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