Words of Spirit and Life

Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 33:2-9. R/ v. 5. Alt. R/ v. 8; 2 Timothy 4:6-8. 17-18

Matthew 16:13-19

Theme: BY THE GRACE OF GOD, PETER BECAME THE FIRST POPE AND

 PAUL BECAME AN APOSTLE TO THE NATIONS

1. A Happy feast day to all of you! Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul! The first thing that came to my mind, even before looking at the readings, is not that Peter and Paul are good, but that God is good! It is by the grace of God that Peter became the first Pope and it is by the grace of God that Paul became an Apostle to the pagans! 

In fact that is what the gospel and second reading of Vigil Mass tell us! The gospel of Vigil Mass (Jn 21:15-19) tells us that Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him! And Peter answered three times that he loved Jesus! And Jesus told him three times: (i) to feed his lambs, (ii) to look after his sheep, (iii) and to feed his sheep! Why three times? This is because Peter denied Jesus three times! Thus Peter became the first Pope by the grace of God! (Lefrois)

The second reading of Vigil Mass (Ga 1:11-20) tells us in Paul’s own words that he became an Apostle to the pagans because of the grace of God! Thus we read in the second reading of Vigil Mass:

“You must have heard of my career as a practicing Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans.” (Ga 1:13-16a; Sunday Missal (SM))   

2. The gospel today tells us that Jesus chose Peter to be the first Pope of the Catholic Church! Thus we read in the gospel today:

“You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16: 18-19; SM)

  The gospel today tells us that Jesus appointed Peter to be the first Pope of the Church! And the mission of the Church is to save us from hell and to bring us to heaven! (HCSB) Jesus gave Peter the authority and power to teach, to sanctify and to govern the Church! “Authoritative teaching, forgiveness of sin, exorcisms, or excommunication.” (HCSB)

Today our Pope Leo is a direct successor of Peter! Peter was the first Pope; Pope Leo is the 267^th Pope! Our Bishops are the direct successors of the Twelve Apostles! Thus the duty of the Bishop and the Bishop of Rome (Pope) is to teach, to sanctify and to govern! That is, to teach, especially to preach the Good News; to sanctify, especially with the Eucharist; and to govern, especially to build the Community, the Church and the Kingdom of God! Thus we read in the “Modern Catholic Encyclopedia” (1994):

“The three traditional functions have persisted over the ages, though in varied manner: to teach, to govern, and to sanctify. The Second Vatican Council reiterated the role of bishops in preaching and in maintaining fidelity to Christian doctrine. Bishops are also commissioned to govern, but this is now encouraged especially as service to the local community to meet their needs on every level, material and social as well as spiritual and personal. Bishops are also designated par excellence to gather the community for worship, especially for Eucharist.”  

3. The first reading tells us that when Peter was arrested and put in prison by Herod, as Herod intended to kill him, the whole Church prayed for Peter unremittingly! More importantly, the first reading tells us that God answered their prayers and sent an angel to free Peter from prison the night before Herod intended to try him!

The first reading tells us to pray for our Pope, our Bishops and our priests! Indeed we do pray for our Pope, Bishops and priests at Mass at the Eucharistic Prayer:

“Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with Leo our Pope and Julius our Bishop and all the clergy”. (Eucharistic Prayer II) 

But we must also pray for our Pope, Bishops and priests outside Mass in our Prayer Meetings, our BECs (Basic Ecclesial Communities), our Neo-Catechumenate Communities, our Bible Sharing Groups, our Legion of Mary, our Divine Mercy Groups, etc.! Some parishes and dioceses even have an “Intercessory Group” to pray especially for the Pope, Bishops and priests!

4. The responsorial psalm is a “Thanksgiving to God who Delivers the Just”. (CSB) But if we look at the two responses and the verses from which they are taken, it tells us that God answers our prayers! Thus we read:

“I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free.” (Ps 33:5; SM)

“The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them.” (Ps 33:8; SM)

“This poor man called; the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress.” (Ps 33:7; SM)

5. The second reading tells us that Saint Paul preached the Good News until his martyrdom! In the second reading Saint Paul was in prison waiting for his imminent execution! But most importantly, the second reading tells us that Saint Paul preached the Good News to all the pagans, even to those who persecute him, arrest him, put him in prison, put him on trial and execute him!

Our Bishops have three functions, that is, to teach/preach, to sanctify and to govern! But of the three functions, the first and the most important is to teach and preach the Good News! (World Synod of Bishops 2001) Our Bishops and priests have to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ’s love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation until martyrdom! We have to preach the Good News not only in the Church and in the Eucharist/Mass, but like Saint Paul, we have to preach the Good News also outside the Eucharist/Mass and outside the Church! Like Saint Paul, we have to preach the Good News to the pagans, to the nations and to the whole world! Amen!

Fr. Nicholas Ong, Holy Trinity Church, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

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