June 29, Wednesday, 13th Week in Ordinary Time
Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles
Daily Readings: Acts 12:1-11, 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 17-18, Matthew 16: 13-19
Simon's confession transforms him into Peter, the rock upon which Jesus would build his church, whose mission is proclaiming the Good News
Near the conclusion of Jesus' public ministry in Galilee, Simon identifies Jesus as the Messiah, the son of the living God. This faith is not derived from human introspection but rather from divine revelation.
Today’s Gospel 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." I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. "
This is not to say that Peter is without stumbles and failures.
Simon becomes the "rock" on which the faith of the believers is built only after he has learned from his mistakes and after Jesus has shown himself to him after he has risen from the dead.
We notice a parallel between Paul and Peter. Due to God's revelation of his Son to him (Gal 1:16), Paul became an apostle. Now he finds himself in the same position of weakness (2 Timothy 4:6–8).
The man who went on missionary trips and fought for his faith is now an older man in prison who is lonely and wants to be with his close friends.
He believes that his demise is imminent. However, he does not despair about his circumstances. His faith informs him that his departure from this world will bring him happiness.
On this feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, may Christ grant us all, and the entire Church, the bravery, generosity, and wisdom we need to continue to liberate the world and proclaim the Good News.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
