Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
Adoration tonight, 7-8 pm, SAA Church. All are invited!!
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Today is the solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles. The following is from a sermon by St. Augustine, bishop in today’s Office of Readings:
This day has been made holy by the passion of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. We are, therefore, not talking about some obscure martyrs. For their voice has gone forth to all the world, and to the ends of the earth their message. These martyrs realized what they taught; they pursued justice, they confessed the truth, they died for it.
Saint Peter, the first of the apostles and a fervent lover of Christ, merited to hear these words: I say to you that you are Peter, for he had said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Christ said: And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. On this rock I will build the faith that you now confess, and on your own words: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, I will build my Church. For you are Peter, and the name Peter comes from petra, the word for “rock”, and not vice versa. “Peter” comes, therefore, from petra, just as “Christian” comes from Christ.
As you are aware, Jesus chose his disciples before his passion and called them apostles; and among these almost everywhere Peter alone deserved to represent the entire Church. And because of that role which he alone had, he merited to hear the words: To you I shall give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. For it was not one man who received the keys, but the entire Church considered as one. Now insofar as he represented the unity and universality of the Church, Peter’s preeminence is clear from the words: To you I give, for what was given was given to all. For the fact that it was the Church that received the keys of the kingdom of God is clear from what the Lord says elsewhere to all the apostles: Receive the Holy Spirit, adding immediately, whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven, and whose sins you retain, they are retained.
Rightly then did the Lord after his resurrection entrust Peter with the feeding of his sheep. Yet he was not the only disciple to merit the feeding of the Lord’s sheep; but Christ in speaking only to one suggests the unity of all; and so he speaks to Peter, because Peter is first among the apostles. Therefore do not be disheartened, Peter; reply once, reply twice, reply a third time. The triple confession of your love is to regain what was lost three times by your fear. You must loose three times what you bound three times; untie by love that which your fear bound. Once, and again, and a third time did the Lord entrust his sheep to Peter.
Both apostles share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching and their confession of faith.
posted by Fr Greg @ 11:26 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I've had a question for a while after another post about the covenant of marriage and the priesthood. I think FG made the statement that the covenant of marriage ends with death but a priest is a priest forever. It made wonder- if a priest is defrocked or leaves the priesthood, how can he be a priest forever? Please explain.
There’s a show airing this fall on AMC called “Vows” about the life of a Jesuit priest. I was reading what the writer’s motivation was in writing this true to life drama and she wrote,
“Part of the reason for the keen interest in the show is a fascination in mainstream American culture with the priesthood. Public scrutiny and curiosity about the priesthood is a phenomenon, especially in Hollywood.
Priests for the most part used to be left alone, but now people really wonder what it is like to walk down the street wearing a collar, why men choose to be priests in this day and age, and what the priesthood is about. And in the recent annals of priest screen characters, a man who is faithful to his vows and in love with the church is something that almost never comes out of religious-cynical Hollywood.”
It is definitely something that looks interesting, for as someone from a parish with two new priests in two years, questions of why and how always seem to abound in talking about them and their callings.
The music was pretty for Adoration tonight- what was it? Also- the lights could be dimmer- just an opinion....
Adoration of our dear Lord and benediction were so precious and beautiful tonight. Thanks, Father Greg, for having the holy hour every week so faithfully!
The music and your short talk help create focus and quiet the mind at the end of a stressful day or week. It is only when our hearts and minds are quiet that we can fully adore Him and rest in His loving presence.
Anon #2 - Thanks for posting about "Vows"....mainstream American culture's fascination&curiosity is a phenomenon. I just hope that the portrayal is authentic.
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