Fr. John ADEMOYE

On this day, the Holy Mother Church rejoices and celebrates two great iconic men [Ss. Peter and Paul] who moulded their lives after their master, Jesus Christ for the Christian faith laying a foundation with an indelible mark of faith that cannot be forgotten. As different from each other, they are recognized as the founding Fathers and as the two Pillars of the Church.

These great heroic men were two different entities in their various missions but geared for the same purpose, bringing Christ closer to the people. Briefly, Peter was the head of the apostles chosen to lead the Christian community and be the source of unity. He denied Jesus three times but returned as a rock to strengthen and lead the Christian community.

On the part of Paul, he was Jesus’s choice to take the message of Christ to the Gentiles. He persecuted Christ, but changed his ways to become the energetic apostles who pushed the message of the gospel far beyond the confines of Judea and Samaria.

In today’s account from the first reading which states, King Herod beheads apostles James. Seeing the execution pleases his subject, he went further to arrest and imprison Peter to await trials and execution. Providently, God intervenes by harken to the supplication of the Christians who prayed. And the angel of the Lord came to Peter’s recuse to free him.

From the second reading, “Paul expresses is end time about to come. But he rejoices in the Lord who stood by him and gave him strength to proclaim the word fully, that all the gentiles might hear it” [2Timothy 4:16-17].

And in today’s Gospel, Peter’s confession of Jesus is seen as what the Church is built on. And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you Simon Bar- Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church…” [Matthew 16:17-18]. Also “whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him and He in God…” [1 John 4: 15]. The message of today to us all, they both had challenges, yet, they struggled through and endured all to win souls for Christ. Peter was crucified upside down while Paul was beheaded.

Dear Friends in Christ, we are called to follow the lives and the example of Peter and Paul. They both had a double dimensions, apostolic leadership and evangelical energy both marked for the Church today; same zeal, enthusiasm and were men of action. With their differences, they both have one thing in common; a deep love for Christ which urged them to carry out the task Christ charged them with faithfully.

Furthermore, they both lived a life of commitment and dedication despites their limitations. That is why James 1:12 says “Blessed is the one who persevere under trials because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

Hence, our day to day life must be a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to be led by the Spirit of love and service in order to cooperate and participate in God’s Salvific plan and proclaim to the whole world the love and goodness of God as manifested in Jesus Christ. Let us emulate and imitate their lives and actions. Remember, faith not expressed in good works is fruitless. Let us make ourselves available for the spread of the faith.

A trip to salvation is not an easy road. It needs prayers, courage, dedication to service and commitment to success as we have it in the lives of Peter and Paul. In order to achieve this, we must know who called us to serve. Christianity is a response to God’s call to serve. Succinctly, our differences should be geared for the common good in love through Christ, in Christ and with Christ.

Finally, dearly beloved in Christ, even though both were called and names changed from Simon of Jona to Peter [The Rock]; Saul to Paul. God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Christ is bigger than our differences. “Let us aim at perfection in everything good, though in most things it is not unattainable. However, they who aim at it and persevere will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give as unattainable” [Chesterfield]. Anyone who aim at perfection even though unattainable, can get to excellent.

Let us pray: Just as the Lord changed the lives of Peter and Paul for his glory, May God change and transform us, so that we can also bear witness to Christ always. Amen.