THE REMARKABLE BOND OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL WITH THE CHURCH
By Melinda A. Sequeira | 29 June 2021
Evidently, June is a soulful month in the liturgical life of the Church and particularly Catholicism, as many great feast days are celebrated. One of these many great feasts is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, which falls on the 29th of every June.
Ever wondered what makes this day solemn? Saints Peter and Paul are widely known as “teachers of the universe”, and that on its own deserves a day of gratitude. The Gospel of Matthew 16:19 states that St. Peter was given the keys to heaven as Jesus’s vicar on earth. This refers to the metaphorical keys given by Jesus to St. Peter, before His ascension into Heaven. St. Peter is the first Pope in Church history. On the other hand, St. Paul was known as “The Apostle”. This is stated in all of St. Thomas Aquinas’s writings and that of many other Catholic theologians.
St. Peter was the rock upon which Christ built His Church. Both St. Peter and St. Paul preached to thousands of different people. St. Peter is also known as the “Prince of the Apostles”. The context of ‘Prince’ here isn’t the same as the ‘prince’ you hear about in fairy tales. The word ‘prince’ here is extracted from the Latin word ‘princeps’, which means “ruler” or a “supreme head”. That’s why St. Peter presided over the Council of Jerusalem in the Acts of the Apostles.
When it comes to St. Paul, he was often called the “Apostle to the Gentiles”, and was also known to be an avid traveller. In most Bibles, you will more often than not find a map featuring His travels from Corinth to Galatia.
If you’re wondering why practically two thousand years later, these two men still continue to be honored in such a way, you’re not alone. Here’s why, St. Peter and St. Paul reflect Christ in a very powerful way, and this is something we can all strive to live by.
Together, they were called the “Luminaries of the Church”, as they were accountable for bringing the Gospel to every nook and corner of the world. They worked beautifully in cooperation enveloped in grace, commitment, kindness, truth and love for God. And this is a remarkable example, teaching us to build a foundation on these vital values and to live a life we’re proud of.
Another interesting fact about the solemnity is that it shines light on two crucial roles of the Church. One role is to govern. This is to ensure that each of us live in God’s truth. St. Peter took on this role in the most extraordinary way, and he will always be treasured for that. The other role of the Church is proclaiming the Word of God to the world. We may not be as successful as St. Paul here, but that does not mean we give up. We can learn a great deal from them as our world is much like the one they lived in. And to achieve anything, we must first be willing to do the work. There will be obstacles on the way, but it certainly isn’t impossible. That’s why together St. Peter and St. Paul are called the “Pillars of the Church”.
To conclude, if there is anything we can take from this Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, is that each of us are summoned to do what they were called to do by living a life of faith, truth, kindness, grace and more. It is never too late.
