Strengthened by the Lord

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate how the example of the faith of Peter and Paul, strengthened by the Lord, can apply to our struggles in life.

Strengthened by Spirit

The reading from Acts applies Herod’s persecution of the Christians to the imprisonment of Peter.

* [12:1–19] Herod Agrippa ruled Judea A.D. 41–44. While Luke does not assign a motive for his execution of James and his intended execution of Peter, the broad background lies in Herod’s support of Pharisaic Judaism. The Jewish Christians had lost the popularity they had had in Jerusalem (Acts 2:47), perhaps because of suspicions against them traceable to the teaching of Stephen.1 

The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone.

* [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12).2 

In the passage from the Second Letter to Timothy Paul contemplates a reward for Fidelity.

* [4:7] At the close of his life Paul could testify to the accomplishment of what Christ himself foretold concerning him at the time of his conversion, “I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name” (Acts 9:16).3 

The Gospel from Matthew is Peter’s confession about Jesus at Caesarea Philippi.

 * [16:13–20] The Marcan confession of Jesus as Messiah, made by Peter as spokesman for the other disciples (Mk 8:27–29; cf. also Lk 9:18–20), is modified significantly here. The confession is of Jesus both as Messiah and as Son of the living God (Mt 16:16). Jesus’ response, drawn principally from material peculiar to Matthew, attributes the confession to a divine revelation granted to Peter alone (Mt 16:17) and makes him the rock on which Jesus will build his church (Mt 16:18) and the disciple whose authority in the church on earth will be confirmed in heaven, i.e., by God (Mt 16:19).4

Edward Morse comments that a wise teacher once observed that gates are only a defensive weapon. Forces of darkness seem to hem us in, holding us hostage. But we must call to mind the encouragement from our Lord: those gates are to be broken down.

 The truth matters in this world, and God has given us the power to live the truth.  These gates cannot keep us from living in the truth or alienate us from the Kingdom of God.  The Church may be full of imperfect people, like Peter and like you and me, but it is the chosen means for giving us this power.    
In the meantime, if you fall, don’t give up.  The future is open, for as long as we have a future. Let us discern the good and follow virtue rather than listening to the cacophony of the mob.  Let us also attend to those who are suffering for the truth, supporting them when we can. And let us have joy in the confident hope that the Lord will also bring us safe to his heavenly Kingdom.  Thanks be to God.5

Don Schwager underlines that our rest is not payment for our work as he quotes “Only by hope,” by Basil the Great, 329-379 A.D.

"'Turn, O my soul, into your rest: for the Lord has been bountiful to you' (Psalm 114:7). The brave contestant applies to himself the consoling words, very much like to Paul, when he says: 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice.' These things the prophet also says to himself: Since you have fulfilled sufficiently the course of this life, turn then to your rest, 'for the Lord has been bountiful to you.' For, eternal rest lies before those who have struggled through the present life observant of the laws, a rest not given in payment for a debt owed for their works but provided as a grace of the munificent God for those who have hoped in him." (excerpt from HOMILIES 22)6 

The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 pictures the foot of the steps leading into St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome where stand two commanding statues, one of St. Peter and the other of St. Paul.

These are the men we are celebrating today: two pillars of the Church who gave their lives for the gospel. Two men whose writings, preaching, and witness made it possible for the Church to spread out from Jerusalem and cover the whole world.7 

Today, on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Word on Fire blog features an excerpt from Episode 5 of the “CATHOLICISM” series, titled “The Indispensable Men: Peter, Paul, and the Missionary Adventure.”

And more…

A Post by Franciscan Media reflects on Saints Peter and Paul’s Story.

We would probably go to confession to Peter sooner than to any of the other apostles. He is perhaps a more striking example of the simple fact of holiness. Jesus says to us as he said, in effect, to Peter: “It is not you who have chosen me, but I who have chosen you. Peter, it is not human wisdom that makes it possible for you to believe, but my Father’s revelation. I, not you, build my Church.” Paul’s experience of the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus was the driving force that made him one of the most zealous, dynamic, and courageous ambassadors of Christ the Church has ever had. But persecution, humiliation, and weakness became his day-by-day carrying of the cross, material for further transformation. The dying Christ was in him; the living Christ was his life.9

Friar Jude Winkler connects the imprisonment of Peter to the son of Herod the Great. The early Church understood the enemy may kill us but never harm us. Friar Jude notes that the writing of the Gospel of Matthew occurred after the death of Peter indicating the authority of the keys of the Kingdom is given to the Church.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Paul Swanson, one of the hosts for CAC’s Another Name for Every Thing podcast and a father of two young children, who explores how contemplation intersects with day-to-day life.

 You have taught me the fidelity of love. (I wonder what I have taught you.) This act of making you coffee is one of my practices in service to that fidelity. This process takes longer than an electric coffeemaker or walking to the coffee shop just a block away. But I like the idea of you starting the day with a creation of my love for you, whether I feel like it or not. The image of you heading out to your classroom with a roomful of students filtering in and you holding a mug containing the hand-ground, precisely poured over, slow brewed coffee that was born out of abiding love, particularly for you. Keeping your hands warm and eyes open.10

The podcast version:

The contributions of authority and Spirit filled evangelization to the Life of the Church are founded in the example of the lives of Peter and Paul.

References

1	(n.d.). Acts, chapter 12 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/12
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 34 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34
3	(n.d.). 2 Timothy, chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2timothy/4
4	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 16 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/16
5	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved June 29, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 29, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). Saints and Peter and Paul, Apostles (Solemnity) - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved June 29, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/06/29/
8	(n.d.). Bishop Barron on Peter, Paul, and the Missionary Adventure .... Retrieved June 29, 2019, from https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/bishop-barron-on-peter-paul-and-the-missionary-adventure/
9	(n.d.). Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul - Franciscan Media. Retrieved June 29, 2019, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/solemnity-of-saints-peter-and-paul/
10	(n.d.). Conscious Parenting: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and .... Retrieved June 29, 2019, from https://cac.org/conscious-parenting-weekly-summary-2019-06-29/