Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Today is one of those days where a special feast takes precedence over the normal Sunday celebration. Observed every year on June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul is given greater liturgical weight than the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time, which would normally be celebrated today.
We recall and honor the two greatest evangelists of our early Church, Saints Peter and Paul. Peter was, of course, the Vicar of Christ, the first among the apostles. However, he preached primarily to the Jews of the Holy Land. Many of them came to embrace Christ because of him. St. Paul was sent by God to preach to the people of the surrounding nations, many of them Gentile pagans who would also embrace Christ.
Of course, both Saints Peter and Paul had strong personalities, strong faith, and great courage as they faced opposition from without and from within. Yet, with eyes fixed on the salvation of souls, as well as their own salvation, they would not waver in remaining true to the Lord’s call that they go forth to lead, to teach, and to plant the seeds of the Church that Jesus had initiated with is life, death, and resurrection.
St. Peter was a reluctant follower, at first. He knew that he was an imperfect man and an unlikely leader, saying to Jesus upon his first encounter with him, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” He would deny knowing Jesus three times after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He would later encounter Jesus and declare his three-fold love of him. Jesus would tell him, “Feed my sheep.” St. Peter’s life would never be the same again.
St. Paul was, at first, a great persecutor of the early Church, standing with those who stoned St. Stephen. However, on the way to Damascus to persecute the Christians there, he would be knocked to the ground by the Lord Jesus himself, who would say to him, “Saul, Saul (his Jewish name) why are you persecuting me?” It was then that St. Paul realized that Jesus had risen from the dead and that Jesus was united to the Church he had so fiercely opposed. St. Paul’s life would never be the same again. He would call himself the “least of the apostles” because of his shame at once having persecuted the Church. From that time on he was compelled to preach the Gospel of Life because he had encountered the Word of Life.
Jesus has continued to raise up great leaders for his Church as and when we need them. Among many of them I include Saint John Paul II as one of those greats. He proclaimed Christ to the world by his writings and frequent trips to other countries. He inspired a generation of young people as he initiated World Youth Day. I can say the same of the other recent popes who have been raised to special leadership in the Church, including our current Vicar of Christ, Pope Leo XIV. But not just popes. I think of St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta who was a great evangelist who inspired many of us to find Jesus in the poor, reflecting on Matthew 25 where Jesus identified himself with the hungry, thirsty, imprisoned, the stranger saying that when we take care of these least among us, “You did it to me.” I often think of the two women from Cleveland who gave their lives in order to bring the Gospel to the poor of El Salvador, seeking the justice and peace of God’s kingdom for them, Sister Dorothy Kazel and the laywoman Jean Donovan.
Then we must also think of the less public, but no less needed, Church leaders that Christ has raised up among us: parish priests and deacons, vowed and consecrated men and women religious, Christian moms and dads who rear their children in the faith, parish catechetical leaders, and all who have told us about the Christ who has been revealed to them. Think of those leaders who led you to Christ — and give thanks to God for them!
And how about us? Once we have met the Lord we cannot remain the same. Nor can we remain silent about the Risen One we have encountered. If we have encountered Jesus, he asks us to go and announce his Gospel in what we say and in how we love. Be leaders where you are — in your families, at work or school, among your neighbors. Like Saint Peter, we might not have great wealth, but we have Jesus to give.
Today Saint Peter and Paul take primacy of place in our liturgy. Let them inspire all of us to overcome our human weakness, allow the Lord to work in us, and give glory to the Lord by our lives. He says to us, “Follow me.” But let’s bring as many along with us as possible on the journey.
Have a blessed week everyone.