HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF SAINT PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES (1)

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF SAINT PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES

THEME: AWARD OF EXCELLENCE!

BY: Ben Agbo (Rev Fr)

HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 29 2022

Ss Peter and Paul

*Act 12 : 1 – 11, 2 Tim 4 : 6 – 18, Matt 16 : 13 – 19.

We are celebrating today the two great apostles that won the highest award of excellence in evangelisation. They had a lot in common yet were completely different in temperament, educational/ professional upbringing and evangelical/ ecclesiastical role. I just want to talk about their award of excellence in the Vineyard of the Lord:
(i) Award of true testimony; Both Peter and Paul kept the faith and upheld the correct teachings about Christ. Peter was actually ordained Pope because of his Christological orthodoxy. At a time when people were confused with false metaphysical and anthropological notions about incarnation and the divinity/ messiahship of Christ, he boldly affirmed; ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’, Matt 16 : 16. At a time when the disciples began the first Protestant movement against Christ’s teachings on the Eucharist, Peter said: ‘To whom Lord shall we go? You have the message of eternal life’, Jn 6 : 68. Both Peter and Paul kept the traditional structures and maintained the insignia of Church unity, especially when the first quarrel erupted about the circumcision of the Gentile converts, Act 15.

(ii) Award of evangelism; Both Peter and Paul were great evangelists. Peter opened the ministry of evangelization to the Gentiles by his miraculous intervention in the family of Cornelius, Act 10. However, Paul explored more of the evangelical and charismatic dimensions of the Pastoral ministry; New perspectives of Hellenism, New territories of evangelization, etc.

(iii) Award of righteousness; Both Peter and Paul, inspite of their human weaknesses fought till the end to win the crown of righteousness. Although Peter backslided at a point and betrayed his Master, he rose and took up again the mantle of fidelity. Paul began as a terrorist murderer and executioner of Christians but ended up as the greatest fisher of men in biblical history. In today’s 2nd reading, he could afford to sing his ‘nunc dimittis’: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race …waiting for the crown of righteousness’, 2 Tim 4 : 5.

(iv) Award of martyrdom; Both Peter and Paul had experienced several miracles of rescue. In today’s 1st reading, we see how Peter was rescued from Herod’s imprisonment as earnest prayers were made for him by the Church at Jerusalem while in the 2nd reading we see Paul’s own testimonies too. But in the final analysis, both of them drank the bitter cup of matrydom; Peter was crucified with his head upside down and Paul beheaded both in Rome under very wicked pagan Emperors. There is always an award waiting for us for all our efforts in evangelism, in righteousness and for our martyrdom. May God bless you today!