THE PILLARS THAT CHALLENGE

Solemnity of Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul 

June 29, 2025 - Acts 12: 1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18; Matthew 16:13-19

We celebrate today the two formidable pillars of our Christian faith and tradition – Apostles Peter and Paul – one a rock and the other a foundation! They both together go to prove to us that being an apostle is no privilege, it is a challenge; living my life as an apostle is no accomplishment, it is a duty! No wonder why Paul said, "Woe to me if do not proclaim the Gospel"(1 Cor 9:16) and Peter said, "we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). They knew, realised and were convinced of the obligation that was involved, not just the honour. At times today looking at the rat race that has unfortunately snuck even into the Spiritual or Ecclesial circles, we are invited to pray specially for our Christian leadership, and moreover, reflect on what it really entails!

The key that Apostle Peter offers lies in his incomparable declaration at the Beautiful Gate, when he tells that person who was incapable of walking – “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk!” (Acts 3: 6)

        Let us note here the first matter of fact: he had neither silver or gold – possession and comfort in so many garbs, be it “for the sake of the mission,” “for the role to be carried out” and so on, how many compromises are made and how scandalising are the reports we come across! Aren’t they clear warnings for us?

        The second factor in that statement is the conviction of Peter, that he had Jesus with him and that he could certainly give Jesus to the person who asked him. There is no virtue in not possessing things or wealth, but it serves as a means to possess Christ and how far does our life of prayer and penance, fill us with Christ – that is a question to ponder.

        The third element to note is the power of the name of Jesus, that Peter understood and laid claim on! Jesus, the name above all names, is given to us to be invoked in every situation where there is someone in need, someone suffering, someone with the essentials at stake! When we do things for others, when we offer our service in ministry – whose name do we invoke? Whose name do we underscore and publish – that is a subtle examination of conscience at varied levels for each of us.

Let us turn to Apostle Paul – he has another crucial challenge to pose, through his declaration in his letter to the Galatians – “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (2:20). 

        For Paul living or dying did not matter – what mattered to him was Christ, and Christ alone; everything else was a rubbish (Phil 3:8) for him. The world today dares to consider everything rubbish, even God and faith as rubbish for the sake of attaining what it considers success and win! Sometimes the so-called spiritual persons are readily prey to this thinking. 

        Christ living in him, was a bold claim that Paul had, but he was honest about it. That is why for him no sacrifice was too demanding; no loss was worth lamenting; no gain was really worth contemplating! Everything and the whole of him belonged to Christ! 

        Thirdly, that statement underlines the intimate relationship that the apostle had with Christ, his Master! The apostles present the same challenge to us: to have a love for Christ that would consume us totally in our body and soul, making us aglow with the love for Christ and Christ's mission of the Reign of God!

These two pillars – Peter and Paul, stand testimonies to how a life in Christ has to be lived! One shows in action and the other in his commitment; one in his total dependence on the Lord and the other in a total consummation for the sake of the Lord. For them the true treasure, the true strength, the true source of wellbeing was Christ and they depended on no one or nothing else, they feared no one or no forces, they cared about nothing else other having Christ with them! They realised their responsibility to be stones on which the community shall be built, and not to be the cracks from which the community would be divided!

They were uncompromisingly convinced of their commission to proclaim the Gospel even at the point of death! Killing the apostles pleased the Jews, we see in the first reading today: those were the times when the first apostles braced themselves to stand for the Message of Christ. They found themselves at the point of being sacrificed, but nothing discouraged them from bearing witness to Christ and his message! It is a fight, a race - not just a glamorous show to be an apostle, we are reminded today. The lion's mouth, the evil that surrounds and the powers of death are certainly to be found, when I begin to understand, accept and live to the full, my call to be an apostle... but at no point will the Lord's deliverance be lacking! 

The Apostles give us a strong lesson: when I decide to run the race, to fight the good fight, 'the Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.'