29 June, 2023 | Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles Mass during the Day

Gospel Mt 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi

he asked his disciples,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,

still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said to him in reply, “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.”

Reflections:

Veneration of the two great Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul, has its roots in the very foundations of the Church. They are the solid rock on which the Church is built, the origin of her faith and will forever remain her protectors and her guides. 

Peter and Paul became apostles not through their own merits, but through their experience of Jesus’ mercy.  It was mercy that transformed them and equipped them to be preachers of the Good News.  It was mercy that changed them and spurred them on dedicate their whole lives to Jesus Christ.

It is a reminder to us that our talents and our weaknesses too can become God’s means of helping others, if we allow. We don’t have to be perfect for God to work through us; God can work through us, faults and all, as he did with Peter and Paul.