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June 29

Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Solemnity

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide;” (Jn 15:16). [1]

Today is the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. These two very different men were united in their faith in Christ, their service to the Church, and in their near contemporaneous martyrdoms in Rome. However, Peter, the first to profess, and Paul, who deepened the faith, would come to lead Christ’s Church through their own unique charisms. In The Twofold Mission of Peter and Paul in the Church we hear, “And so, each in a different way gathered together the one family of Christ; and revered together throughout the world, they share one Martyr’s crown.” Also, in these saints, we see Jesus forming friendship, carefully calling His disciples by name. He elevated Saul to Paul and Simon to Peter, just as He lovingly befriends, calls, and elevates us today. Sts. Peter and Paul honored Christ with the totality of their lives, modeling for us what our response to Jesus’ friendship can be. [2][3][4]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] Revised Standard Version s.v., “John, The Gospel According to.’
[2] Benedict XVI, Homily, June 29, 2011.
[3] John Paul II, Homily, June 29, 2003.
[4] “Preface: The Twofold Mission of Peter and Paul in the Church,” Magnificat, 14:4 (2012): 406.