Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul; two great missionaries and proclaimers of the Word of God. Saint Peter proclaimed the presence of the Risen Christ to the early Jewish Christian Community. Saint Paul proclaimed the presence of the Risen Christ to the Gentile Community. Neither Saint Peter nor Saint Paul was born a saint and each had his human limitations. Saint Peter denied that he knew Jesus at one of Jesus’ most difficult moments. Saint Paul persecuted the early Christian Community. But they remained open to God’s grace and Jesus’ love and allowed the presence of the Risen Christ to turn their lives around.

In the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 16: 13-19), Jesus says to Peter. “And so, I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” In Saint Paul’s Pastoral Letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18), Saint Paul writes. “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.” Let us give God thanks for their heroic witness to the Risen Christ and their proclamation of the message of salvation through the Risen Christ.

As we celebrate this feast, let us remain open to God’s grace so that we like Saint Peter and Saint Paul will be able to witness to the presence of the Risen Christ in our world. Thank you all for your example of Faith and Hope.

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