We honor Peter and Paul on June 29 as they were leading forces of the stability and the growth of the nascent Church and the development of her doctrine in response to challenges. Peter was more to keep the unity of the Church, and Paul, through his extensive missions into the Greco-Roman world let the Church expand.
While Peter was in the first batch of the disciples
picked by Jesus in person (Matthew 4:18-20), Paul was probably the last Apostle,
whom Jesus picked. In fact, unlike Peter, Paul was not even in the twelve
disciples, whom Jesus chose (Matthew 10:1-4). He never spent time with Jesus in
person, unlike Peter and the rest of the twelve.
Neither Peter nor Paul had expected to meet Jesus and follow
him. But though the ways they first encountered Jesus were quite different,
their paths in following Jesus met to drive the nascent Church’s growth
vigorously.
Out of the blue, Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,
saw Peter and his brother, Andrew, casting the fishing net into the sea (Matthew
4:18) and said:
Come after me, and I will make you fishers
of men (Matthew 4:19).
And he and Andrew left their net and followed him
(Matthew 4:20).
Paul’s encounter with Jesus was quite different. By
that time, Paul was called, Jesus already died, resurrected, and ascended. The
Church was already born and led by Peter. However, the nascent Church was
facing severe persecution, and Paul was a zealous persecutor to the Church, as
he confessed in the Second Reading of the Solemnity’s Vigil (Galatians 1:11-20).
Then, called Saul, Paul was on his way to Damascus to
arrest more followers of Jesus and bring them to imprison in Jerusalem, Paul
was struck by a lightning and fell to the ground when Jesus spoke to Paul (Acts
9:1-4):
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
(Acts 9:4b)
In reply, Paul said:
Who are you, sir?
(Acts 9:5a)
Then, Jesus said Paul:
I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now
get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do
(Acts 9:5b-6).
Though the lightning made him blind for three days,
Paul got up and followed Jesus’ command and met with Ananias, who baptized
Paul, as called by the Lord (Acts 9:8-19).
Paul regained his sight immediately and got up and was
baptized (Acts 9:18), as Ananias laid his hand over him and said,” Saul,
my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which
you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit “(Acts
9:17).
Fully recovered Paul began proclaiming that Jesus is
the Son of God in the synagogues in Damascus (Acts 9:19-20).
Not only the ways they began to follow Jesus were
different but their backgrounds were also quite different.
Peter was a fisherman in Galilee (Matthew 4:18), while
Paul was highly educated Pharisee, as taught by Gamaliel from Tarsus (Acts 22:4;
23:6).
It is rather intriguing that Jesus picked a man who
had no background in theology as he began his public ministry and picked a man
who was zealous to destroy the newborn Church to make him for the sake of the
Church. So this is how Jesus brought these two leaders, whom we honor on June
29, for his Church.
Peter and Paul are two main characters in the Acts of
the Apostles to see how these men contributed for the stability and growth of
the Church. In this book, written by Luke, as inspired by the Holy Spirit,
Pater is featured from chapter 2 to chapter 12, and from chapter 13 to chapter
28, Paul is featured.
As the First Reading (Acts 12:1-11) describes, though Peter
was securely chained in prison, the angel of the Lord led him out of it to
freedom so that he would be able to continue his apostolic ministry. Paul was
also in prison because of his work of Jesus, though he and his companion on his
second missionary journey, Silas, came out of the prison because of the violent
earthquake (Acts 16:16-34). As in the case of Peter, Paul continued with his ministry
upon coming out of prison.
As for Paul, ever since the trial by Felix, corrupt Roman
governor, resulting in imprisonment in Caesarea (Acts 24:24-27), Paul’s life began
heading to his martyrdom in Rome. Rather than having his appealed case heard by
Caesar in Rome, Paul was executed without having his case heard. Nevertheless,
he never stopped his ministry, on his way to Rome and even in prison.
Upon arriving in Rome, while waiting for his case to
be heard by Caesar, Paul was put in house arrest for two years, actively
ministering, as allowed to receive guests (Acts 28:16-31). It is believed that Pauline
prison epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, were written
during these two years in Rome.
Paul was released from this house arrest, once, but arrested again. This time, he was put in a prison cell alone. It was when he wrote his Second Letter to Timothy, and we read his words to Timothy in the Second Reading (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18). From this reading, we sense that Paul knew that his martyrdom was imminent. So, while he was still able, Paul wrote these words to Timothy, whom he counted on to inherit his ministry (i.e. 1 Timothy 1:2, 18; 2 Timothy 1:2):
For I 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
(2 Timothy 4:6-8).
But 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 (2 Timothy 4:17-18).
Paul had offered everything for his apostolic mission,
which started in Damascus, shortly after being baptized by Ananias. He completed
three mission journeys, and established churches in many places in the Greco-Roman
world and fostered their growth. Now his martyrdom is fast-approaching. So Paul
wanted to make sure that Timothy, his mentee, would continue where Paul left,
as these were Paul’s final words of farewell to Timothy.
The Gospel Reading (Matthew 16:13-19) depicts how Peter
was chose by Jesus to lead the Church. Thus, this is where the Catholics see
why Peter became the first Pope. With these words, Jesus charged Peter to serve
as the pastor to his Church:
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
(Matthew 16:17-19).
Because whatever he binds and looses on earth shall be
bound and loosed in heaven, the authority that Peter received from Jesus is
very powerful.
Peter received this authority because he was the one
who correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God
(Matthew 16:16). But, as Jesus indicated, it was because God chose him to
reveal this Christological truth. It means that God had willed Peter to serve
as Pope. However, Peter had to learn a lot to be ready to lead Christ’s Church,
as he was rebuked by Jesus severely for trying to prevent him from accomplishing
his earthly ministry in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21-23) and denied Jesus three
times out of fear when Jesus was arrested and tried (Matthew 26:69-75).
Nevertheless, Jesus did not change his mind in keeping Peter as Pope of his
Church, as the Gospel Reading of the Vigil (John 21:15-19) describes.
Otherwise, why would risen Jesus would reinstate Peter in his position to take
care of Jesus’ sheep, until his martyrdom?
One thing we can reflect in solemnly honoring St.
Peter and St. Paul is that Jesus picked these “problematic” men from different
backgrounds, making them work together for the unity and the growth of his
Church. When they were commissioned, these men were ready with their resolves
to engage in their apostolic missions fully and boldly. So, by virtue of
Baptism and Confirmation, having receiving the Holy Spirit to empower, we, too,
shall strive to be like Peter and Paul.
We come from different backgrounds. We have various educational backgrounds. And
our views are diverse. But, when we are called by Jesus, we are able to work on
one team for our common cause: the unity and the growth of the Church.
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