Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles - Mt 16:13-19 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

"He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (Mt 16:15-16)

READING OF THE DAY

First reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 3:1-10

Peter and John were going up to the temple area

for the three o’clock hour of prayer.

And a man crippled from birth was carried

and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate”

every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.

When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,

he asked for alms.

But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,

and said, “Look at us.”

He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.

Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold,

but what I do have I give you:

in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”

Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,

and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.

He leaped up, stood, and walked around,

and went into the temple with them,

walking and jumping and praising God.

When all the people saw the man walking and praising God,

they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging

at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,

and they were filled with amazement and astonishment

at what had happened to him.

Second reading from the Letter to the Galathians

Gal 19:2-3, 4-5

R. (5) Their message goes out through all the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Day pours out the word to day;

and night to night imparts knowledge.

R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

Not a word nor a discourse

whose voice is not heard;

through all the earth their voice resounds,

and to the ends of the world, their message.

R. Their message goes out through all the earth

Reading II

Gal 1:11-20

I want you to know, brothers and sisters,

that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin.

For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,

but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism,

how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure

and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism

beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,

since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.

But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart

and called me through his grace,

was pleased to reveal his Son to me,

so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,

I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,

nor did I go up to Jerusalem

to those who were Apostles before me;

rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem

to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days.

But I did not see any other of the Apostles,

only James the brother of the Lord.

--As to what I am writing to you, behold,

before God, I am not lying.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 21:15-19

Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples

and, when they had finished breakfast, said to Simon Peter,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

He then said to Simon Peter a second time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

He said to him the third time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,

“Do you love me?” and he said to him,

“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,

you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;

but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,

and someone else will dress you

and lead you where you do not want to go.”

He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.

And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul Apostles - Mt 16:13-19

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today is the solemnity of the apostles Peter and Paul, two pillars in the Church. Today's Word of God speaks of how each person must courageously declare their faith in God.

During the life of Jesus Christ, when He publicly preached the Gospel, He asked His disciples: "Who do you say that I am?" This question also arises for every Christian. Put your conscience before God the Father, and sincerely express your belief in Jesus Christ, saying: "Who is He to me?" Is He God the Father of love who came to earth to become a human being to save humanity or just an ordinary human being? A teacher who specializes in performing miracles? Or a prophet?

Saint Peter declared his faith in Jesus Christ: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This proclamation was not made by Saint Peter himself but was given grace and revelation by God the Father Himself. This proclamation is very accurate and true to the person of Jesus Christ.

Why did Saint Peter receive this revelation from God the Father? That's because God the Father has chosen to call and place Saint Peter as the head of the Church.

When Saint Peter, or the successors of Saint Peter, or any prophet, or a shepherd chosen by God the Father and placed in His plan, as the leader to shepherd the flock of God the Father; then they will always be protected and preserved by God the Father from evil spirits.

Like the image of Saint Peter, when he was imprisoned in prison. God the Father sent His angel to bring Saint Peter out of prison, while the prison's iron gate was still locked. Thereby, letting people know that only the power of God can do this!

God the Father lets everyone know that He always sends angels to accompany, protect, defend, and preserve Saint Peter, as well as all of God the Father's prophets, which are those whom He chooses to preach the gospel.

He also wants to send a message to all those who follow Him that He always accompanies, preserves, protects, and defends everyone from all evil spirits.

But to be protected by God the Father, then that disciple must believe absolutely in God's plan of salvation. Because He is a loving Father, we must fear Him alone and must live according to His teachings.

Next to Saint Peter, the Church also has a great saint of the pagans, Saint Paul. Saint Paul was chosen and placed by God the Father to be a pillar for all members of God's people, especially for pagans who do not know God the Father. Saint Paul was chosen by God the Father to bring back to Him the sheep that had strayed away from Him.

Thanks to the preaching and life of Saint Paul, the Gentiles receive the salvation of God the Father.

Saint Paul himself had to fight against many evils brought by the world. He had to overcome countless difficulties and challenges and must give up everything to choose God alone.

God is the One whom Saint Paul himself had previously sought to arrest and kill to extinguish the doctrine of Jesus Christ, the doctrine that Paul considered to be out of step with the religion of his father.

But for God the Father, He will purify those who are chosen by Him, so that they can become beneficial for His plan of salvation. That is why Saint Paul received the grace of conversion from God the Father. And now, he has become a great saint, a pillar in God the Father's plan of salvation, Saint Paul also received the revelation from God the Father about His Gospel of Salvation, and through that, Saint Paul's life was incorporated into the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ.

The saint brought the love of the crucified Jesus Christ on the Cross and gave it to the lost sheep.

Saint Paul left everyone a shining example of resilient faith, that is he fought a noble war, a just war to win Jesus Christ. It was he who was born, placed, and was a weapon to save souls for God the Father.

In God's Word today, God the Father calling everyone, especially the apostles of the new era: to look at the two heroic and resilient examples of the early Church, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

To follow their example of courageously fighting in the war with this world, courageously fighting in the war against Satan in the Church and in the world, so that at the end of the journey everyone will have Jesus Christ Himself as our God the Father. In the image of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, they fought to win the crown of glory, that is Jesus Christ. Having Jesus Christ is the highest reward that humans need to achieve.

In today's Word of God, God the Father also calls everyone to: declare our belief in one God, a God the Father of love, who saves all humanity, and whoever has God in him will receive salvation, will be in the house of God the Father, and will be at His right hand in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thanks be to God. Amen.