His Word Today: Saints Peter and Paul

Saints Peter and Paul
Oil on canvas by El Greco, c. 16th century

Good morning everyone,

Today there is great rejoicing in Rome, for this is the liturgical Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.

Saint Peter (also known as Simon) was one of the apostles.  According to Christian tradition, Peter was crucified by the order of Emperor Nero Augustus Caesar sometime between AD 64 and 68.  He was crucified upside down at his own request since he thought himself unworthy to die in the same way as Jesus had been put to death.  His mortal remains were buried on the Vatican hill and soon afterward, the early followers of the Way built a chapel over the place of his burial.  That chapel has been re-built many times.

The present-day Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican stands over the spot where Saint Peter was buried.  Mortal remains believed to be his lie below the high altar inside that Basilica to this day.

Saint Paul, otherwise known by his Jewish name - Saul of Tarsus - was also an apostle, though not one of the original twelve, who taught the gospel of Christ in the first century AD.  He is believed to have lived between the years AD 5 and AD 64 or 67.

According to writings in the New Testament, prior to his conversion, Paul was dedicated to persecuting the early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem. In the narrative of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem when the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in a great light. He was struck blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus and Paul began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God.  He travelled extensively through the known world proclaiming the Gospel, but he ultimately returned to Rome and spent two years living there under house arrest before his death.

Both Peter (cf Acts 12:1-11) and Paul (cf 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18) knew what it was to be bound and imprisoned, but all earthly attempts to silence them were unsuccessful.  Their martyrdoms continue to speak to us today as testimony to the fact that Jesus, who rose from the dead, has promised to prepare a place for each of us in the Father's house.  May these two faithful followers of Jesus intercede for us and may God grant us the grace to be fervent examples of faith for those we encounter.

Have a great day.