HOMILY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL — YEAR C
HOMILY THEME: “The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me…My life is poured out like a libation…”
BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido
Acts 12:1-11, Ps 34:2-9, 2nd Timothy 4:6-18, Matthew 16:13-19
Peter and Paul are the two great pillars of the Church. Together, they championed the two channels through which the gospel was disseminated in the Early Church, Peter to the Jews mainly, even though it was through him and his encounter with Cornelius that the first recorded entry of the Gentiles in the Acts of the Apostles was sustained, and Paul to the Gentiles, for obvious reasons.
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Both men died in Rome by martyrdom, witnessing to the gospel. Peter was head of the universal Church, our first Pope, while St. Paul masterminded most extensive missionary expansions in the ancient Roman Empire. While the legacy of St. Peter is preserved in the gospel of Mark, who was his disciple, in his letters, and in Church Tradition, Paul’s greatest legacy is attested by his 13 letters, which make up a third of the New Testament. These men teach us great lessons for Christian living. St. Peter teaches us that God chooses whomever He desires for the work that is to be done. We don’t have to be perfect. As long as we stay the course and are ready for new beginnings, even when we have failed woefully, God will put us back on the right track. St. Paul reminds us that it is never too late to change course once you realize you were on the wrong path. His life shows that the potential for greater outcomes lies in the future as long as we listen to the Spirit and work with God. As we celebrate them, we pray for all persecuted Christians. May God sustain them with the courage and tenacity of Saints Peter and Paul. We pray for the spread of the gospel, that despite hardships and adversity, the spirit and courage of Peter and Paul will continue to inspire the Church and Christians to sustain efforts to spread the good news. We pray that like them, God will grant us the grace of final perseverance, the staying power to uphold our faith to the end. Finally, may they continue to inspire selfless service and leadership in our Church and in our world.
Saints Peter and Paul; Pray for Us.
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