Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
First reading: 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.”
Second reading: 2 Tim. 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: Mt. 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.”
In other words
by Fr. Sonny de Rivera, SVD (Philippine Northern Province)
We celebrate today the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the two foundational pillars of Christendom. St. Peter is the leader of the original twelve apostles. St. Paul is styled the Apostle of the Gentiles. These two figures are a study in contrast.
Peter was born in Bethsaida, Galilee. He was a fisherman. Given the rustic conditions of the time, he was not most probably very educated. Perhaps, he only knew the basic rudiments of reading and writing. Quite certainly, his family was not wealthy.
Paul was born in Tarsus (in modern Turkey). He was well-educated having studied as a young man at the distinguished school of Rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem. Quite certainly, he was born to a well-to-do family.
By temperament, Peter is impulsive and emotional. He is easily given over to making verbal promises on the spur of the moment—a propensity that often leads to regret and embarrassment. He also has that special gift of weeping when he feels touched, hurt, and sorry.
On the other hand, Paul is passionate and elemental. He is decisive and unbendable when he commits himself to a cause or mission. He does not suffer fools gladly.
Although St. Peter and St. Paul are contrasting characters, they share some interesting similarities, one of which is their common experience with Jesus.
Before the Lord Jesus, they both feel unworthy and sinful. “Go away from me Lord. I am a sinful man!” Peter says to Jesus during their first encounter (Lk. 5:8–10). “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst,” Paul writes to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:15).
And yet despite their weaknesses and sinfulness, Peter and Paul went on to become great saints of the Church, not because of their effort to reform their lives, not because of their personal merits, but simply because of God’s grace and mercy.
Today, we honor these two great apostles because we see God’s immeasurable goodness and compassion in their persons and lives. Theirs is a story about divine power and grace triumphing over human sin and weakness.
On this Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we thank the Lord for giving us the gift of their persons—two sinners who became saints because of God’s grace. May their story inspire us to always put our trust in God’s mercy and compassion despite our unworthiness and wretchedness.