Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul

"And so I say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the lower world will not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18

Over the centuries, the Church has been hated, misunderstood, slandered, ridiculed and even attacked. Although sometimes ridicule and reproach arise from the personal faults of its members, very often the Church has been and continues to be persecuted because we have been given the mission to proclaim clearly, compassionately, firmly and authoritatively, with the voice of Christ himself , the truth that frees and makes all people free to live in unity as children of God.

Ironically, and unfortunately, there are many in this world who refuse to accept the truth. There are many who instead grow in anger and bitterness while the Church lives her divine mission.

What is this divine mission of the Church? Its mission is to teach with clarity and authority, to spread the grace and mercy of God in the sacraments and to pasteurize the people of God in order to lead them to Paradise. It is God who has given this mission to the Church and God who allows the Church and her ministers to carry it out with courage, audacity and faithfulness.

Today's solemnity is a very appropriate occasion to reflect on this sacred mission. Saints Peter and Paul are not only two of the greatest examples of the Church's mission, but they are also the true foundation on which Christ established this mission.

In the first place, Jesus himself in today's gospel said to Peter: “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of the lower world will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bind on earth, it will be bound in Heaven; everything you lose on earth will be dissolved in heaven. "

In this Gospel passage, "the keys of the kingdom of heaven" are given to the first pope of the Church. St. Peter, who has been in charge of the divine authority of the Church on Earth, has the authority to teach us all we need to know to reach Heaven. It is clear from the early days of the Church that Peter has passed these "Keys to the Kingdom", this "ability to bind and lose authoritatively", this divine gift that today is called infallibility, to his successor, and he to his successor and so on until today.

There are many who are angry with the Church for having proclaimed the liberating truth of the Gospel clearly, confidently and authoritatively. This is especially true in the area of ​​morality. Often, when these truths are proclaimed, the Church is attacked and called all sorts of slanderous names in the book.

The main reason why this is so sad is not so much that the Church is attacked, Christ will always give us the grace we need to endure the persecution. The main reason he is so sad is that very often those who are most angry are, in fact, those who need to know the liberating truth more. Everyone needs the freedom that comes only in Christ Jesus and the full and unaltered gospel truth which he has already entrusted to us in Scripture and which continues to clarify us through Peter in the person of the Pope. Furthermore, the Gospel never changes, the only thing that change is our ever deeper and clearer understanding of this Gospel. Thanks be to God for Peter and all his successors who serve the Church in this essential role.

St. Paul, the other apostle that we honor today, was not himself in charge of the keys of Peter, but was called by Christ and strengthened by his ordination to be an apostle of the gentiles. St. Paul, with much courage, traveled across the Mediterranean to bring the message to everyone he met. In today's second reading, St. Paul said of his travels: "The Lord has been close to me and has given me strength, so that through me the announcement could be completed and all Gentiles could hear" the Gospel. And although he suffered, was beaten, imprisoned, ridiculed, misunderstood and hated by many, he was also an instrument of true freedom for many. Many people responded to his words and example, radically giving his life to Christ. We owe the establishment of many new Christian communities to the tireless efforts of Saint Paul. In the face of world opposition, Paul said in today's epistle: “I was saved from the lion's mouth. The Lord will save me from all evil threats and bring me to safety in his heavenly kingdom. "

Both St. Paul and St. Peter paid for their loyalty to their missions with their lives. The first reading spoke of Peter's imprisonment; the epistles reveal Paul's difficulties. Eventually, they both became martyrs. Martyrdom is not a bad thing if it is the Gospel for which you are martyred.

Jesus says in the Gospel: "Do not be afraid of the one who can tie your hand and your foot, rather fear the one who can throw you into Gehenna." And the only one who can throw you into Gehenna is yourself because of the free choices you make. All we have to fear in the end is to falter from the truth of the gospel in our words and actions.

Truth must be proclaimed with love and compassion; but love is neither loving nor compassionate compassion if the truth of the life of faith and morality is not present.

On this feast of Saints Peter and Paul, may Christ give all of us and the whole Church the courage, charity and wisdom we need to continue to be the tools that free the world.

Lord, I thank you for the gift of your Church and the liberating Gospel that she preaches. Help me to always be faithful to the truths you proclaim through your Church. And help me to be an instrument of that truth for all those who need it. Jesus I believe in you.