The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

Here are the readings for the Sunday feast: http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/062908.shtml

This Sunday the Feast of St. Peter and Paul takes precedence over the Sunday in Ordinary Time in the Roman Calendar. The feast of St. Peter and Paul is a feast that can be celebrated as a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church. The holy days celebrated are determined by the National Bishops Conferences.


The readings for this week highlight the importance of these two saints in the life of the Church. Again, the theme for the readings is found in the responsorial psalm: "I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears." The first reading shows the head of the Church, St. Peter, in prison for preaching the name of Jesus. No doubt there is fear when going to prison, and no doubt that fear was present in the members of the Church who experienced the event. Yet, they did not allow fear to rule over them. They prayed and God heard their prayer by releasing Peter through the intervention of an angel. Indeed, St. John Chrysostom says, "See how Peter slept and was not in anguish or fear. In the very night when he was about to be brought before the court he slept, leaving everything to God. Indeed, the multitude becomes powerful when virtue is present. And it had such a power that even though the doors were closed, chains bound the apostle and the jailers slept at both sides, virtue delivered him and saved him from all those difficulties. So if virtue is present the multitude has great strength, but if vice is present it makes no benefit." (Catena on The Acts of the Apostles, 12.6-7)


St. Paul experienced the hardships of prison and persecution, to which he alludes in the second reading. The text seems to suggest that Paul is boasting and had no fear, but he says that the Lord gave him strength, implying that he had none of his own, and indeed that is the case. Without God we can do nothing. Paul too is rescued from the "lion's mouth", a reference to Nero and imprisonment in Rome, just as Peter was rescued from imprisonment by Herod in Jerusalem.


The Gospel passage relates the famous profession of faith by Peter and the subsequent bestowal of authority over the Church by Jesus. The conferral of keys was the ultimate sign of authority in the ancient world, as keys would be given to the magistrates for the gates that led into the city that was protected by walls. Peter feared, as just after receiving this great gift he can't accept that Jesus will die. Yet, Jesus does not give up on Peter, and he continually confirms Peter in his ministry, and as time passes Peter gets stronger. St. Ephraim the Syrian places these words in the mouth of Jesus for Peter: "Simon, my follower, I have made you the foundation of the holy Church. I betimes called you Peter, because you will support all its buildings. You are the inspector of those who will build on earth a Church for Me. If they should wish to build what is false, you, the foundation, will condemn them. You are the head of the fountain from which my teaching flows, you are the chief of my disciples. Through you I will give drink to all peoples. Yours is that life-giving sweetness which I dispense. I have chosen you to be, as it were, the first-born in my institution, and so that, as the heir, you may be executor of my treasures. I have given you the keys of my kingdom. Behold, I have given you authority over all my treasures!" (Homilies 4, 1)


May these holy apostles intercede for us so that we may have their faith, a faith that always sought the Lord and a faith that delivers us from all our fears.