Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Mass during the Day
Lectionary: 591
Liberation of St. Peter by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1667
Reading 1 ACTS 12:1-11
In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.
On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
“Get up quickly.”
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”
He did so.
Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
“Now I know for certain
that the Lord sent his angel
and rescued me from the hand of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”
Responsorial Psalm PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (5) The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Reading 2 2 TM 4:6-8, 17-18
I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Alleluia MT 16:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Saint Paul in Prison by Rembrandt
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.”
.
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Reflection by The Most Rev Msgr William Goh Archbishop of Singapore
29 JUNE, 2017, Thursday, 12th Week, Ordinary Time
CAN THE CHURCH WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE WORLD?
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Acts 12: 1-11; Ps 33:2-9; 2 Tim 4, 6-8. 17-18; Mt 16, 13-19 ]
We are living in a world of rapid changes. The world is moving and changing so fast that what we see today was unimaginable 30 years ago. Technology, mass media and digital communications have changed the world radically. The way we communicate, the way we live, our lifestyles, whether it is at work, in the family, social or religious life have changed.
But it is not just changes in technology; economic, political and social life, and ideology have changed as well. Indeed, today, we are paralyzed by the many choices in life. Even buying a phone is not an easy decision as there is a whole range of choices, all with different capabilities. Watching television or going for a movie is equally daunting as there are a plethora of choices to choose from. So too with regard to the different ideologies of how life should be lived. All opinions seem to have their valid points. With so much information it is difficult to make sense of what is truly right or wrong. In a society that is so steeped in relativism, it has become difficult for anyone to talk about morality. Pragmatism and individualism rule the day. At the other extreme end of the pendulum, those who resist change express themselves in fundamentalism which can become violent, especially among religious fanatics.
In the midst of these changes, the Church presents herself as the spokesman for what is truth in the world. The Church in the person of the Holy Father is seen as the moral spokesman for humanity. The Church regards herself as the bulwark and pillar of truth. But the Church is also under attack from the onslaught of those who disagree with the teachings of the Church. There is much opposition not just from without but also from within.
Can the Church withstand the change of time in the light of extreme ideologies such as relativism, secularism and fundamentalism? The common lamentation of our young people is that the Church is no longer relevant in their lives. We seem to be speaking a different language and they cannot sync with the Church’s language both in terms of style, content and communication. Indeed, will the Catholic Church be reduced to a minority, as Pope Emeritus Benedict warned us during his pontificate? We have the new Herods persecuting the Church today for political gains. In the first reading we read that King Herod “beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well.”
Many political and even religious leaders are pandering to the wishes of the majority regardless of whether those things they ask for are good or bad for them. Instead of leading the people into the fullness of truth, they are being led by the people. This is the consequence of democracy, truth by consensus. Or rather, a pragmatic approach to life. Give them whatever they want. The leader is reduced to a coordinator, no longer one who leads. The truth is that most people behave like little children. In a world of technology and consumerism, we must get what we want quickly. We cannot wait. So, do we pander to the desires of our children even when they ask for things that could harm their future? But this is what we do for the so-called adults in the world today. The world is no longer ruled by truth but by consensus and desires.
So as leaders, how can we lead if we do not know the truth, what is truly good for our people, not just for today but for tomorrow? As in the gospel, the people during the time of Jesus held different views about Him. We get nowhere if we base the truth on consensus. Reason is important for finding the truth, but truth has its limits and must be supplemented by faith.
How can we be sure that we have the truth to life and love if not because of our faith in Christ as the Son of the Living God? This is the foundation of truth. Jesus assured Peter, “So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.” Unless our faith is founded on the Church’s faith in Christ as the Son of the Living God, we cannot claim that we have the truth. Anything less than this confession of faith expressed by Peter will not give us the courage to withstand the onslaught of the world and the diverse worldviews.
By extension, as Catholics, we also believe that the rock that Jesus refers to is not just the rock of faith but Peter as the leader among the apostles. He is also that little pebble, “Petra” in which the Church is built upon. This is because the Lord has entrusted the keys of heaven, that is the authority, to St Peter to decide on matters pertaining to faith and morals for the Church. The Lord said, “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.” For this reason, good Catholics will abide by the teachings of the Pope, together with the bishops. The magisterium is considered as the authentic, authoritative teacher of the Church. When Jesus promised the Church that He would be with us until the end of time, obviously, it cannot be merely with the individual but the Church as a whole, led by the apostles and their successors.
Indeed, if obedience is lacking today, it is because faith is lacking. This is the cause of disobedience at every strata of life. Today, obedience to authority is no longer taken seriously even in priestly and religious life. Everybody trusts only in his or her opinions and claims to have personal revelation from God. There is a distrust in authority because of scandals and corruption. So, whilst it is understandable why people have lost faith in authority, none of us must lose faith in Christ. We must hold fast to the promise of Christ that He will somehow protect His Church from the Evil One. Hence, obedience requires us to surrender in faith even when we do not understand.
Faith in Christ can overcome all things. Christ will protect His Church. This was the faith of Peter in Christ. We read how the Lord sent an angel to deliver him from his enemies. The angel set him free from his chains and led him out into safety. It was such a miraculous event that caught Peter by surprise. So, too, the Lord came to Paul’s aid in his trials. “The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.” So we might suffer a temporary setback and have to deal with some scandals affecting the Church. But we can be sure that the Lord will also set us back and lead us forward to the future with even greater zeal and growth in holiness and in strength.
But Peter and Paul’s faith in Christ is not limited to being delivered only in this life but in the life to come. Although their lives ended in death, they knew that even death could not overcome them because the last word is life eternal. Life and love will triumph over death and hatred. That was why they were also not afraid of death. St Paul was confident of final victory which is even more important than temporary victory. He wrote, “All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day.”
As we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul, we are called to imitate them for they are the pillars of the Church. Like them, we are called to be faithful to the Lord even unto death. In the first reading, we have St Peter who was ever ready to witness to the Lord even when threatened with imprisonment by King Herod and the Jews. St Paul too spoke of his life as a libation offered for Christ and the Church. He wrote, “My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith.” Both Peter and Paul gave their life for Christ and His Church. Both were martyred in Rome.
If we want to have the same courage and fidelity to Christ, then we need to strengthen our faith in Christ as the Son of the Living God. This faith is given through grace, for the Lord said, “Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.” We can only pray for this faith of revelation. But we must, like Sts Peter and Paul, cooperate with His grace given to us, doing all that we can within our strength and then surrender everything else unto the Lord who will complete the task for us.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore
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Peter became the leader of the apostles, after Jesus’ ascension.
So many people want signs and miracles and yet even what is evidently happening in history and the present times, there is still spiritual blindness. Sometimes what we really need to know is already there in front of our eyes. It might mean that we must open our mind so we can understand from a different perspective. Our world is more than two dimensional. Our thought process is not lineal although help to connect information together. With the right information, we can see how everything fits together. We can expand on this as you will see here. There are layers of awareness and so nothing is every straightfoward. Nothing is ever quite as it seems. Nothing is coincidence either.
A previous article shows St. Peter’s and how this reveals a key. In this statue St Peter is holding Keys and also a scroll. There are two keys in his right hand. One key is silver plated and the other is gold plated. The scroll indicates that Peter received Divine Revelation and was guided directly from God with making decisions. For this reason he became an important figurehead of the church.
Old Saint Peter’s Basilica stood from the 4th to 16th centuries where the Basilica of Saint Peter stands today in Rome. Construction of the Basilica was built over the historical site of the Circus of Nero. Work began during the reign of emperor Constantine I ordered the contstuction between 326 and 333; that took 30 years to complete. The name Old Saint Peter’s Basilica to distinguish between the buildings of the Old and present time Bassilica.
“The altar of the Old St. Peter’s used several Solomonic columns. According to tradition, Constantine took these columns from the Temple of Solomon and gave them to the church; however, the columns were probably from an Eastern church. When Gian Lorenzo Bernini built his baldacchino to cover the new St. Peter’s altar, he drew from the twisted design of the old columns. Eight of the original columns were moved to the piers of the new St. Peter’s.”
Fresco of Constantine’s Old St. Peter’s Basilica as it looked in the 4th century.
Since the crucifixion and burial of Saint Peter in 64 A.D., the Basilica is said to be the location of the tomb of Saint Peter. The structure housed tombs of saints and popes. Bones were still being found as late as February 1544. In the design of the new basilica attempted to reconsecrate these remains as much as possible.
“It is stated in the Liber Potitificalis, written by Anastasius Bibliothecarius in the eighth century, that the Emperor Constantine after his miraculous conversion caused the body of St. Peter to be exhumed in presence of Pope St. Sylvester, and enshrined in a case of silver enclosed within a sarcophagus of Cyprian brass. Over this he placed a large cross of gold weighing one hundred and fifty pounds, and bearing the inscription : “Constantinus aug. et Helena aug. hanc doraum regalem (auro decorant quam) simili fulgore coruscans aula circumdat.” The body was then restored to its original tomb, over which he erected an altar and a vaulted chamber (in place of St. Anacletus’ memoria) faced interiorly with plates of gold. This chamber was, and still is, right under the high-altar of St. Peter’s basilica, and on the Apostle’s tomb still lies the cross of gold, as will be shown later.”
The Destruction of Old Basilica of St. Peters
“Old St. Peter’s had lasted some 1126 years (i.e., from A.D. 324 to 1450), when the walls began to settle down on the side where the masonry of Nero’s circus had been retained. Lanciani says the destruction of this venerable basilica is “one of the saddest events in the history of the ruin of Rome,” yet it was considered a necessity, for in Nicholas V’s time (1447—1455) the structure was found to be in a damaged state, and the roof threatened to fall. He conceived the idea of entirely rebuilding it, but did little or nothing because of the enormous sums required. Pope Benedict XII (1334—1342) had spent 80,000 gold florins (i.e., some ,£480,000 of our money) in repairing the roof; but a century later it was found to be again unsafe, thousands of rats having made holes in the beams, and the southern wall was leaning three feet seven inches to the side, so that the pilgrims, who came to the Jubilee of 1450, were naturally alarmed.”
St. Clements with St. Peter of Alexandria – who is seen here holding the scepter. According to Tertullian, Clement was consecrated by Saint Peter, and he is known to have been a leading member of the church in Rome in the late 1st century. Pope Clement I also known as Saint Clement of Rome (in Latin, Clemens Romanus), is listed from an early date as a Bishop of Rome. He was the first Apostolic Father of the Church.
St. Peter is seen holding a book and the keys. We also see that he is illumined (by God) His crown chakra is open to recieve divine revelation and this provides evidence of him being sanctified.
History has been mapped out to the finest detail – so has today. There is no cheating to attain spiritual enlightenment. No one can buy or sell this realisation within our being. The people who have strived to maintain lofty places and kept people down, might never realise a higher consciousness. However, in this time there are more people from all backgrounds, cultures and faiths who are ready to experience higher consciousness.
The Golden Age is the age of enlightentment – for everyone.
By research, we can learn about history in context. Visual evidence helps to support factual information. Ancient buildings, ruins of temples and churches give evidence of history and people who have lived before. In the ancient times war, fire and natural disasters, floods and earthquakes have been reasons why ancient buildings have been destroyed. At different times throughout history, people have been divinely inspired and this is not to create division between people – but to unite people together in peace. Today the churches are uniting in peace and it is important that no one is excluded from this opportunity and understanding. Today there is a golden opportunity for everyone to realise a higher consciousness. You decide your process.
Physical locatons can change, buildings can change even people can change – however truth does not change. Peter is written about in the Holy Bible. Nothing is hidden from anyone!
Peace, love and best wishes
Pauline Maria
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Acts 12: 1-11; Ps 33:2-9; 2 Tim 4, 6-8. 17-18; Mt 16, 13-19 ] Our Holy Father, Pope Francis is bringing much needed renewal to the Church and the world. Indeed, he is truly visionary and courageous. He has undertaken radical reforms in the Church, especially the Curia and the different Church organs. He has given a new face to the papacy by his simplicity, ordinariness and compassion, especially for the poor and the ordinary people. He is also very much in touch with the struggles of ordinary Catholics, whether in family life, in marriage and especially those who are divorced. He feels with those with a different sexual orientation, the marginalized and the outcast. He has also made radical changes in the liturgy to make it simpler and connected to life. He reaches out beyond the Church to peoples from other Christian communions and other religions as well. His speeches and homilies are straight from the heart and not couched in nice political language. Indeed, because of his authenticity and genuine love for all, many outside the Catholic Church admire him and find him truly the face of Christ for them. Because of him, the Church has become more missionary and evangelical and he has changed the image of a cold, indifferent and outdated Church fazed by scandals, especially pedophilia to a Church of compassion and mercy.
Indeed, Pope Francis shows himself to be a true shepherd of the flock of Christ and a true missionary in bringing Christ to all, especially the poor and the marginalized. He seeks to exercise both roles by modelling his life after St Peter and St Paul. St Peter is the symbol of the call to be a shepherd to the flock of Christ, whereas St Paul reminds us of our missionary call to proclaim Christ to the earth. Every Pope, bishop and priest and lay person is also called to be both a shepherd and a missionary. The mission of the Church consists of both ad intra and ad extra; within, as we renew ourselves in the faith and without, by being evangelical minded. Pope Francis seeks to bring both these aspects into his ministry by being the shepherd of the universal Church by governance and teaching on one hand, and on the other hand, by being creative and proactive in reaching out to those who have left the Church, those outside the Church and those who are unreached. And he is doing this at the risk of being misunderstood and opposed by his own.
What should our attitude be with respect to the changes that Pope Francis is undertaking for the Church? What if some of us cannot agree with him and feel confused with the developments in the Church, especially with regard to time immemorial doctrines and practices, particularly liturgical practices? Indeed, for those of us who are happy with the changes, they have all but praise for him and thanksgiving to God. But for those who sincerely object to the innovations and initiatives of our Holy Father, particularly in seeking to make the faith more real and relevant in the lives of our people, especially those who feel ostracized by the Church, how should we handle this dilemma?
The real question at the end of the day is: do you have faith in St Peter and his successors, the college of bishops, the magisterium? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit that is promised to the Church guarantees the infallibility of the teaching of the Church? At the end of the day, it is a matter of faith, not logic or understanding, or even finding consensus. As the Vicar of Christ and the pastor of the universal Church, the Holy Father has full and supreme authority over the Church. When he teaches in matters of faith and morals, we must give a religious assent to His teachings; if ex cathedra, submission in faith; and if ordinary teaching, the submission of the intellect and will. (Cf LG 22,25) Precisely, in matters of faith, reason is not sufficient to establish but revelation is required. Otherwise, faith is reduced to mere reason alone.
The scripture readings of today assure us that St Peter is under the protection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the first reading, we read how St Peter was miraculously released from jail by an angel who could simply be a messenger of the Lord. At first he thought it was a dream, but later when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know it is all true. The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.”
In the gospel too, we read how the Lord assured St Peter of divine assistance. In the first place, his declaration that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” is through divine revelation given to him. The Lord said, “Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.” Furthermore, the Lord entrusted St Peter with the authority to govern the Church of Christ. He said, “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.” Not only St Peter but He also protects His apostles. St Paul too experienced God’s protection when he recounted, “The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”
Based on this promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church has consistently professed the supreme teaching authority of St Peter and his successors throughout the ages. His teaching when declared ex cathedra is to be accepted in faith; and when taught ordinarily, it must be accepted with the religious submission of the intellect and will.
Today, when we celebrate the re-dedication of the Church of Sts Peter and Paul, we want to reaffirm our faith in Christ according to the mind of the Church as declared on our behalf by St Peter. The rock that Jesus spoke about is both St Peter as the rock on which His Church is built, that is, under His guidance. But it is also a reference to the faith of Peter in Christ as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Unless, we make St Peter’s faith our own, both in mind and in heart, we cannot find salvation. We too must be able to declare personally that Christ is the Son of God. It is not enough therefore simply to rely on the faith of St Peter or the Church but it must also be our own. Without this faith in Christ as the Son of God, we cannot profess our faith in the teaching of the Holy Father as well.
But this personal faith in Christ as the Son of God has its implications. All of us are called to nurture the faith of those Catholics under our care. We are called to look after the faith of our loved ones, especially our young. The reason why the faith of many of our Catholics is weak is because many are poorly instructed in their faith. Doctrinally, they know so little and spiritually, they do not read the Word of God or share the Word of God with their brothers and sisters. Their faith in Christ at most is an intellectual faith but not the personal faith demanded of Christ when He asked the disciples the question, “Who do you say I am?” We cannot be missionary minded unless we take our discipleship seriously.
At the same time, this feast also reminds us that it is not sufficient just to look into the interests of the Catholic community; we are called to be like St Paul, sharing this faith with the whole world. His whole life was given for the spread of the gospel, especially to those who do not know him. He wrote, “As for me, my life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish.” With St Paul, we are reminded that the Church does not exist for herself but for the world. So whilst it is important to follow St Peter in shepherding our Catholics and looking after our Catholic community, in our parish and in the diocese, we must not forget the missionary thrust of the Church. As Pope Francis often reminds us, we are always missionary disciples. We need to look after our faith and strengthen our faith, but this is for the sake of the mission.
When we celebrate this feast of Ss Peter and Paul, we must never forget that we are called to imitate both St Peter and St Paul. With St Peter, we must take part in the life of the community, serving the community and learning from each other so that we can deepen our faith in the Lord. We must never forget that we need to deepen our faith each day so that we can arrive at the faith of St Peter, making his faith our own personal conviction. So it is not enough to serve in the ministry but we need to be disciples of Christ through prayer, study and fellowship. With St Paul, let us be missionaries and evangelists for Christ so that the world will know Him as Saviour and Lord. We need to actively reach out beyond our community and bring Christ to the world directly or indirectly through works of mercy and charity.
