Homily for Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29)

Homily for the Solemnity of
Sts. Peter & Paul

June 29, 2023
2 Tim 4: 6-8, 17-18
Acts 12: 1-11
Ps 34: 1-8
Matt 16: 13-19
St. Edmund, Edmonton, Alberta

“The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that thru me the message might be fully proclaimed” (2 Tim 4: 17).

The two NT lessons this morning speak of deliverance, the first one of St. Peter’s miraculous escape from prison, the second of St. Paul’s less specific rescue “from the lion’s mouth” (4:17).  The psalm likewise tells of the Lord’s power and willingness to save:  “He delivered me from all my fears: (Ps 34:4).

In Paul’s case, we learn the reason for his deliverance:  that the apostle, Paul, might proclaim the word of God fully.  The content of the proclamation is this:  Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matt 16:16), the righteous judge (2 Tim 4:8), God’s instrument for saving us for his heavenly kingdom (4:18).

The apostolic task is to preach this message of salvation.  The Church today is apostolic because it has received this message from the apostles in our sacred tradition, guarded by the rock foundation of Peter’s successors, right up to Pope Francis, and because it continues to preach the apostolic word of salvation.

Deliverance is not simply physical.  On many occasions Paul narrowly escaped with his life.  At least this one time, so Peter did.  But Paul speaks plainly of being sacrificed, “poured out as a libation” (4:6), as according to tradition he was put to death by the sword during the persecution of Nero.  Peter also shed his blood for Christ under Nero, by crucifixion.

Why does the Lord save at one time but not at another?  According to his plan, the lives of his chosen ones glorify him and proclaim the word fully at one time by being preserved and at another time by being surrendered even as Christ’s life was.  To be the Christ, the Messiah, is to suffer at the hands of human beings and to find life in God.  To preach the Messiah is to walk in the Messiah’s steps, a journey that can be completed only when we pass thru death, which has not the power to harm us.  Like Paul, we shall be rescued from the lion’s mouth of final evil and destruction.  The Lord stood by Peter and Paul even as they experienced the cross and the sword, preaching Christ in death as in life.

We of the apostolic and Catholic Church, disciples of Jesus the Messiah, must preach the word fully too.  Sometimes preaching demands sacrifices of us, self-denial, losing our lives, our possessions, our comfort, for the Gospel’s sake.  This is the path to life.  This is our confident assurance of faith in God who is our life.  We know that the powers of death cannot shake the Church no matter how much they attack; Jesus is risen and lives in us.  On the Last Day, he will bestow the glorious crown of eternal life not only on Peter and Paul but also on “all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim 4:8).