Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

Today's Mass Readings

The media did not devote too much attention to it; the Catholic Church did not try to get mileage out of it; the Church of England did not even comment on it; TIME magazine could have dedicated its cover page to it but did not. I am talking about one of the most high profile conversions to the Catholic Church that went almost unnoticed. December 2007, Tony Blair, the outgoing prime minister of Britain became a Catholic. In reality, the news should have generated huge interest and the Catholic Church should have made a big deal out of it. The media usually loves high profile, controversial events like these. And there was controversy. Why did Blair wait to leave office before he converted? Britain has never had a Catholic prime minister and it would have been a boost to the Catholics in a historically Protestant country. A new research had just shown that for the first time in decades, the number of Roman Catholics attending Sunday services in Britain had fallen behind the Anglicans. Secondly, Blair’s record on life issues and war has contradicted the Catholic Church’s teachings. Can one become a Catholic while rejecting core Catholic values? Having debated all the controversial issues, in the final analysis, we have also to view this conversion from God’s point of view. After all, the lives of Peter and Paul, whose feast we celebrate today, looked very different from human perspective and God’s plan. The lives of both Peter and Paul did not merit them the task they were entrusted with or the task they accomplished. If I were Jesus, Peter would have been not my choice as the first of the disciples. What can an illiterate fisherman offer to build the Kingdom of God? Peter spoke more than he knew; he boasted of his abilities even when he was not sure (he said that he would die for Christ), and when his credibility was tested, he failed. If someone denies me when my life is at stake I would want nothing more from that person. But at the end of it all Christ, contrary to every human logic, entrusted Peter the task of “tending the sheep” (Jn 21: 15-17). Paul’s story is even more intriguing. Unlike Peter, he was educated by Gamaliel, the most erudite of all Rabbis and a leading authority of the Sanhedrin. But he hated Christians and persecuted them with vengeance. Why in the world would anyone want to befriend their most hated enemy? But, as with Peter, defying all human reasoning Paul is called by Christ. After all the years of study by the best scholars, answers to these questions barely satisfy the human mind. All we can say today is that as we look back at the history of the Church, one cannot imagine the Church without the pioneering and self-sacrificing work of Peter and Paul.

Pope Benedict has declared a year beginning today as the Year of St. Paul. As we celebrate the feast of Peter and Paul, let me offer three points for our reflection.

1. The first question that comes to my mind is why God chose Peter and Paul for God’s mission? It was the one question I most prayed about in preparation for this homily. The answer is simple. It really wasn’t the fact the Peter and Paul were chosen that was crucial. It was that God chose them that was crucial. How many of us consider us worthy to be chosen by God to accomplish God’s work? The most common answer is we can never be worthy enough for God. But that is not the point. It is not who is chosen but rather who is choosing us that is important. The mission becomes important not because we are chosen but because God makes the choice. The Christian life must begin with the realization that my faith, in whatever form I experience it now, is first, I repeat, first, God’s call to me. The lesson for us in all of this is that it is not our worthiness or unworthiness that we must focus on. We too, like Peter and Paul are called by God. Our mission? To be a powerful presence of God in the world. So let us keep our eyes on the God who calls us and we will be surprised at what God can accomplish through us.

2. Even though this year has been declared the feast of St. Paul, I have to admit that I am more at home with St. Peter. Peter’s life is more like mine. I have tremendous love for God like Peter did. But my life is also as marred by failure as his. I have much zeal for God, but my weaknesses are equally glaring. My only hope is God, just as much God was Peter’s hope in prison as we saw in today’s first reading. Peter’s life tell me that conversion, commitment, love for God, fidelity and faith can be a one-time event like it was for Paul, but is also can be a life-time process like it was for Peter. None of us who are called have ever to lose heart because we have failed. God raises us up from our failures to take us into greater strength. His call is never revoked.

3. Today’s second reading from the second letter to Timothy ends with what is perhaps the most powerful statement in all of Paul’s writings: “I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). At the time of this writing Paul was awaiting his sentence in a prison on Rome. He had all the time to look back at his life. How blessed is a person who at the end of their life can say what Paul could say! “I have competed well! I have finished the race!
I have kept the faith!” I hope at the end of our lives we can say that too. The only way we can say that is if our lives today is our best attempt to be the presence of Christ in this world.

The same Christ who called Peter and Paul will come to us in a few moments in this Eucharist. Let us respond to this call. Let us keep our eyes focused on Christ. Let our lives be the presence of God in this world. Amen.

- Fr. Satish Joseph