Peter & Paul Solemnity, June 29th

 

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. It’s actually a holy day of obligation in the universal Church, but not in the US.

How shocking it would be, if a pope was captured and put into jail? What would it have been for the early Church to hear that Peter was arrested and put into jail?

Popes beginning with Peter have suffered much as the leader of the Church.

In fact, 29 popes of the Catholic Church were martyred and 7 perhaps 8, additional popes were murdered.

Peter, who would become the first pope, was from Bethsaida in Galilee and owned a fishing business. He was married, but after receiving his call abandoned his wife and family to become a follower of Jesus.

Jesus would heal his mother-in-law, who was sick in bed with a fever.

Peter was poor and unlearned, but candid, eager and loving.

When he told Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you!” Jesus replied, “Truly, I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.”

When Jesus asked the apostles, “Who do they say the Son of Man is?” They responded, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Jesus replied, “Who do you say I am?” It is then, only Peter announces His faith in Jesus as the Messiah. He said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Only Peter made that declaration.

Jesus then told Peter, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give to 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.”

These words signify that Peter is the one whom Jesus entrusted the Church and his successors will guide and the lead the Church, which Jesus Himself established. Peter will have the authority to rule over the Church with his role instructing and clarifying the faith and strengthening the faith of the people. Our Lord chose Peter to be the head of the Apostles and the Vicar of Christ on earth.

Peter had great faith as can be seen when he stepped out of the boat and began to walk on water towards Jesus.

Peter was one of Our Lord’s three intimate friends, with James and John, who witnessed events the other apostles did not, such as the Transfiguration, the raising of the dead girl back to life and His Agony in the Garden.

On the day of Pentecost, due to Peter’s sermon, 3,000 converted to the Christian faith.

After Pentecost, Peter stands out in full grandeur of his office. He fills the vacant office lost by Judas, when guided the apostles to replace him with Matthias.

Peter opens the Church to Gentiles and he founded and ruled the church of Antioch.

Ten years after the Ascension, he went to Rome. There he established his chair and for 25 years labored with St. Paul building up the great Roman Church.

Jesus told Peter what would happen to him. Our Lord said, “When you were young, you went where you would, but when you are old, you will go where you are taken." And by these words, He foretold Peter's death. He then said, "Follow me."

Now 25 years later, Peter is arrested and put into jail. In the early Church, it must have been shocking and word must have spread quickly when Peter, the first pope was arrested and put in jail. The Christians must have all gathered together and prayed for Peter to be released.
Then in the middle of the night, when Peter was asleep and fastened to the chains, an angel appeared to him. The angel caused the chains to break free and the door of the jail to open and then Peter escaped. Yet, years later, Peter, the first pope, would be captured again.

A pious Roman tradition, states that during the persecution of the emperor Nero, Peter set off to leave Rome. Just outside the gates of Rome, Jesus appeared to Peter carrying His Cross. Peter asked Him, “Where are you going, Lord?” In Latin, “Quo Vodis Domine?” Jesus responds, “To Rome, to let myself be crucified again.” Because of this, Peter returned to Rome, knowing he would be crucified, as Jesus would be crucified within him. Because he considered himself unworthy to die like his Master, when captured, Peter asked to be crucified upside down. Recent excavations, directly under the altar in St. Peter’s Basilica, have discovered the bones of St. Peter, in a tomb. The Basilica was built over the site where Peter was martyred on top of Vatican Hill in 64 AD.

There have been many popes, who have been jailed over the centuries. For example, Pope Pius VII was arrested in 1809 and put into jail as well. When in jail, he smuggled a message out and asked all of Christianity to pray the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary for his release. And on May 24^th, of 1814, the pope was released. That is why the following year he established the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians on May 24^th.

St. Paul was from Tarsus and his parents were Jewish. He studied under Gamaliel. While still young, Paul held the clothing of St. Stephen, who he encouraged to be stoned to death and was the first martyr for the faith. In his false zeal of the Pharisees at Jerusalem, Paul was responsible for arresting Christians (men, women and children).

Near Damascus, a great light struck him and he fell to the ground. Our Lord spoke to him saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” The event causes him to become blind, but would later be healed by Ananias, whom the Lord told to pray over him.

Due to his conversion and as a new Christian, he sought to spread the Gospel to the limits of the world. For years, he labored preaching Christ Crucified.

St. Paul, became the apostle to the Gentiles and preached throughout most of the western world. He established many churches. Perils by land and by sea did not stop dampen his courage, nor toil or suffering prevented him of wanting to the win the world for Christ.

Before his martyrdom he left 14 epistles, providing the foundation for some of the Church’s doctrine. Through his writings, it is clear, he died to himself, so that Christ may live in him.

He was captured and sent to Rome for trial. During his house arrest in Rome, he wrote letters to the faithful, while others came to visit him. He was eventually, martyred about 3 yrs. after St. Peter in Rome.

A tradition, states that when he was beheaded, his head bounced three times, resulting in three springs of water. The location today is called (tre fontone) (three fountains). His body resides in a Basilica outside of Rome called, St. Paul, outside the wall.

On this Solemnity of Peter and Paul, let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, to watch over and protect the Catholic Church from all heresy and division and may all Christians be inspired to pray for everyday for the Church, so that the Church may continue to guide and lead the faithful, through the Vicar of Christ and the college of bishops, who are the apostles today.