HOMILY OF SATURDAY 12TH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B (SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES, SOLEMNITY)
HOMILY OF SATURDAY 12TH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B (SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES, SOLEMNITY)
HOMILY THEME: “I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT TO THE END… I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH…”
BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido
Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 33(34):2-9; 2 Tim 4:6-8, 17-18; Matt 16:13-19
Today, we celebrate two great collaborators and pillars of the Church: Peter, the apostle to the Jews, whose ministry was mainly amongst Jews, even though he was also the first to officially open the gospel to Gentiles (Cornelius [Acts 10]); and Paul, the apostle to the gentiles, whose proclamation of the gospel and mission were amongst the gentiles, for obvious reasons (he was branded a traitor amongst the Jews). The first and gospel readings portray Peter’s steadfastness despite persecution and his choice by Christ as the head of the Church, respectively.
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The second reading portrays Paul’s fervent and courageous adherence to the gospel and the demands of apostolic ministry until the end of his earthly life. Like them, we have been called and sent. Fervent faith, perseverance, holy obedience, unalloyed loyalty to the one who called us, and hope, are indispensable elements of a genuine response to our vocation to missionary discipleship. We pray that God will continue to provide fervent and courageous leaders and witnesses for his church, to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth; and that our individual responses to God’s call may be zealous, generous and enduring. We must never forget that these two apostles were ordinary human beings like us; frail, vulnerable, not perfect and limited in many respects. But, once they responded to God’s call, the Lord provided the means they needed to accomplish their ministries, and in responding faithfully, became favored leaders of the Church, who now enjoy communion with God in heaven. God meets us where we are; calls us as we are; and expects us to respond wholeheartedly so that he may transform us into better and favored versions of ourselves.
Saints Peter and Paul, Pray for us. Amen
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