Two Pillars of the Church: Solemnity of St Peter and St Paul
Sermon by Emmanuel Suntheni OSB – Solemnity of St Peter and St Paul
Sermon and Christian Act In The Word
Theme: Peter and Paul: two apostles in love with the Lord!Two pillars of the faith of the Church! Am I ready to die for Jesus and the Church as Peter and Paul?
Point of Reflection: Today, we are celebrating the solemnity of St Peter and St Paul. Peter was from Galilee, in modern-day Israel. Paul was from Tarsus, in modern-day Turkey. Both died as martyrs for the faith in Rome, just thirty years after the death of Jesus. As a Christian, am I ready to die for my faith in Jesus Christ? The main activity St Peter and St Paul did was to answer the essential question in life, “Who is Jesus for me?” By following him as his disciples and by proclaiming the Gospel, they faithfully responded to the essential question. It is good for us to grow as a Church in the same way, by following the Lord, constantly and humbly seeking him out. It is good for us to become a Church that is also outgoing, finding joy not in the things of the world, but in preaching the Gospel before the world and opening people’s hearts to the presence of God
First Reading: Acts 12:1–11
Psalm: Ps 34: 2-3.4-5. 6-7. 8-9
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17–18
Gospel: Matthew16:13–19
Sermon (Reflection): Peter and Paul: two apostles in love with the Lord, two pillars of the faith of the Church. Each of these two saints is important for different reasons. Peter was the first Pope and kept the Church united as it grew very rapidly in the years following Pentecost. As we reflect on their lives, today’s Gospel sets before us the question that Jesus posed to his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” (Cf. Matthew 16:16) This is the essential and most important question of all: Who is Jesus for me? As Christians, who is Jesus in my life? It is worhty while to note how the two apostles answered that question.
Today’s Gospel tells of the profession of faith of St Peter, on whom the Church was founded: “You are the Messiah… the Son of the living God” (Cf. Mt 16: 16). Peter’s answer can be summed up in one word: follow. Peter knew what it was to follow the Lord. On that day in Caesarea Philippi, Peter responded to Jesus’ question with a fine profession of faith: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Cf. Matthew 16:16) An impeccable, precise, exact and, we could even say, perfect “catechetical” answer.
Peter stayed with the Lord, walking with him and behind him for some time, did Peter arrive at the spiritual maturity that brought him, by grace, by pure grace, to so clear a profession of faith. Even in the second reading of today Peter miraculously escaped from prison. This was the true faith and trust he had in Jesus Christ.
St Paul had a fiery personality. He persecuted the early Christians in Jerusalem, even witnessing the death of Stephen, the first martyr for Jesus (Cf. Acts 8:1). After his conversion as Saul to Peter, his preaching was fiery and upset the Churches. In Acts, we read that Paul then returned to Tarsus, and the next sentence says it all: “the churches throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria were left in peace.” (Cf. Acts 9:31) Paul spent 10 years back in Tarsus before he began his preaching. It was a time for him to cool down and learn what the death and resurrection of Jesus meant for us all. Why did God call Paul? Paul was a highly educated Pharisee (Cf. Acts 22:3), and it would be only someone like him who could see that the Jewish expectations were fulfilled in Jesus. Paul had the strong personality needed for that daring challenge, and he moved from bringing chaos to bringing peace. As a Christian, am I bringing peace or chaos in my church and in our families?
Looking at the personalities of Peter and Paul, we see that God called them to use their personalities to spread the Gospel, thus, Peter to use his impetuous love to look after the flock, and Paul to use his training as a Pharisee and his strength of character to ensure that the non-Jewish people would be welcomed into the Church. It is a reminder to us that our talents and our weaknesses, too, can become God’s means of helping others, if we allow. We don’t have to be perfect for God to work through us; God can work through us, faults and all, as he did with Peter and Paul.
In the second reading, we encounter the message of Paul inviting us to be good ministers of Christ, “If you preach the truth to the brothers and sisters,you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.” As Christians, we are invited to preach the truth by our actions and be good Christians to our societies and families.
As Christians, we are also invited today to be zealous followers of Christ and be transformed.
Christian Act in Word of God “Peter & Paul: two pillars of our faith”
Peter tells us that it is not enough to respond to the question, “Who is Jesus for me?” thus, with a faultless doctrinal formula or a set of preconceived notions. No! It is only by following the Lord that we come to know him each day, only by becoming his disciples and listening to his words that we become his friends and experience his transforming love.
It is interesting to note the personalities of both Peter and Paul. Peter was impetuous—on Holy Thursday night, telling Jesus that he would die with him if necessary (John 13:37) but later that night he denied he knew him. We also remember Peter’s objection to Jesus’ prediction that he would suffer and die in Jerusalem and Jesus said, “Get behind me Satan because the way you think is man’s way and not God’s way.” (Matt 16:23) Yet what made Peter a suitable candidate for Jesus’ call was his love for Jesus, so three times Jesus asked him if he loved him and asked him to look after the flock (John 21:15-19).
Today on the feast of St Peter and Paul, several new Archbishops receive the Pallium; this is a sign of communion with the Church of Rome and the Roma Pontiff who is the vicar of Christ. To them we would say: Be apostles like Peter and Paul. Be disciples in following and apostles in preaching. Bring the beauty of the Gospel everywhere, together with all the People of God.
Action: By all means, I accept to be a good defender of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Almighty Father, through your son Jesus Christ, you made Saints Peter and Paul great preachers and models in strengthening the faith of the infant Church, and we ask you today to send us the Holy Spirit to imitate their good examples of being firm defenders of faith and proclaimers of the Good News! O holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, intercede for us. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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