• June 29th - The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Thu Jun 28 10:11:06 2018
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    June 29th - The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

    Saint Augustine wrote of these holy men: =E2=80=9CBoth apostles share the s= ame
    feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on
    different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed.
    And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles' blood.
    Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their
    sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.=E2=80=9D

    Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by
    their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching
    and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand
    firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who
    lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
    for ever and ever.

    Saint Peter (1-64), disciple of Christ, first Pope, and =E2=80=9Crock=E2=80= =9D of the
    Church., was born Simeon, but renamed by Christ to reflect his special
    role in the formation of the Church. He later confirmed his =E2=80=9Cnew=E2= =80=9D
    name, and endowed him with the powers of the keys of heaven:

    16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
    17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was
    not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell
    you that you are Peter [translated as =E2=80=9Cthe rock=E2=80=9D], and on t= his rock I
    will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19
    I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind
    on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
    be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16: 16-19)

    Jesus also specifically charged Saint Peter with the task of
    shepherding His flock as first Vicar of the Church. In Saint Peter and
    his successors, we have a visible sign of unity and communion in faith
    and charity:

    15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon
    son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
    "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
    Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
    16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
    He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
    Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
    17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
    Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love
    me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
    Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. (John 21: 15-17)

    Peter was born in Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. Like his younger
    brother Andrew, he was a professional fisherman and dwelt at
    Capernaum, where Jesus would stay, performing miracles, whenever he
    was preaching in that area. Following the miraculous catch of fish
    that Christ used to make them =E2=80=9Cfishers of men,=E2=80=9D together wi=
    th his
    brothers John and Andrew, Peter felt the call to become the first of
    Jesus' disciples.

    Following his encounter with Jesus, Peter's life changed dramatical=
    ly.
    We know that he left his wife, family, and job to follow Christ. He
    served as the leader of the disciples, especially following the
    crucifixion, but beforehand as well. Peter occupied a privileged
    station as spokesperson for the group, as well as selection to be
    present at the Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden. Somewhat
    quick to anger and temperamental, Peter's words and deeds sometimes
    got him into trouble, but also set the stage for his thrice-over
    denial of Jesus, a lesson which led to great humility and prepared him
    for his position as Pope.

    After the Ascension of Christ, we know that Peter took a leading role, embracing the office of shepherd that had been entrusted to him. He
    delivered the first sermon on Pentecost, during the descent of the
    Holy Spirit, and confirmed the first Gentiles into the Church:

    42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is
    the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All
    the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him
    receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10: 42-43)

    But much of Saint Peter's life is lost to history. We know that he =
    was
    present at the Council of Jerusalem (where he gave support to
    preaching to the Gentiles, leading to the universality of the Church),
    became the first bishop of Antioch, received and visited with saint
    Paul, and labored in Rome as an apostle. He is responsible for
    appointed the replacement of Judas Iscariot, and was the first to
    perform miracles in the name of the Lord. He further wrote two
    epistles, the first Papal Encyclicals of the Church.

    16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about
    the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were
    eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from
    God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory,
    saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."18
    We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with
    him on the sacred mountain. (2 Peter 1: 16-18)

    Saint Peter was imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa, and was miraculously
    freed by an angel. Rather than turn from his apostolic mission, he
    returned to Jerusalem, traveled teaching the Good News, and returned
    to Rome (where he labored for 25 years, building the Church of God).
    He was crucified by Emperor Nero on Vatican Hill, and his relics are
    now enshrined under the high alter of Saint Peter's Basilica. From =
    the
    earliest days of the Church, Peter was recognized as the Prince of the
    Apostles and the first Supreme Pontiff. His see, Rome, has thus
    enjoyed the position of primacy over the entire Catholic Church.

    O Glorious Saint Peter, because of your vibrant and generous faith,
    sincere humility and flaming love our Lord honored you with singular
    privileges and especially leadership of the whole Church. Obtain for
    us the grace of a living faith, a sincere loyalty to the Church,
    acceptance of all her teaching, and obedience to all her precepts. Let
    us thus enjoy an undisturbed peace on earth and everlasting happiness
    in heaven. Amen.

    Saint Paul (10-67), was born in Tarsus, and was educated as a Jewish
    Talmudic student. He worked as a tentmaker, and actively persecuted
    the Church for years until receiving a divine message from the Lord on
    the road to Damascus. Following his conversion, Saint Paul went on to
    become the most prolific writer and preacher of the early Church,
    traveling throughout the Middle East and Asia Minor, converting many.
    Selected to bring Christ's name to all peoples, he is the greatest
    missionary of all time, the advocate of pagans, the Apostle of the
    Gentiles.
    by Jacob

    Saint Quote:
    Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.
    --St. Catherine of Siena

    Bible Quote:
    =E2=80=9CThis man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Genti= les
    and their kings and before the people of Israel.=E2=80=9D (Acts 9: 15b)


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    Homily on the feast of SS. Peter and Paul

    God does not send suffering but sometimes He does allow it and turns
    it to a greater good. St Leo the Great in his homily on the feast of
    SS. Peter and Paul taught that what comes from God cannot be
    destroyed, in fact the adversaries instead end up contributing to the consolidation and progress of God's plan: "The religion founded by the
    mystery of the cross of Christ cannot be destroyed by any form of
    cruelty. The Church is not diminished by persecutions; on the
    contrary, they make for its increase. The field of the Lord is clothed
    in a richer harvest. When the grain which falls dies, it is reborn and multiplied " [St. Leo the Great, Homily on the Feast of St. Peter and
    St. Paul].
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