Friday, June 27, 2025

Solemnity of St Peter and St Paul

This weekend the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of two great Christian heroes, St. Peter, the “Prince of the Apostles,” and St. Paul, the “Apostle to the Gentiles.” These two Christian martyrs are the principal patrons of the Church of Rome.  Two great basilicas, St. Peter’s and St. Paul Outside the Walls, stand on the sites where their martyrdoms occurred.

Although these men seem “larger than life,” they were, in fact, very ordinary people called to do extraordinary things.  Simon the fisherman and Saul the tentmaker answered the call of Jesus to follow him even if it led to their deaths.  They both denied Jesus, they both experienced a radical conversion and they both overcame their limitations and shortcomings by the grace of God working through their lives.   They left us with a legacy to proclaim Jesus as the “Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Like St. Peter and St. Paul, we are called to be apostles, people sent out, to announce the good news that the Kingdom of God is here.  St. Peter and St. Paul witnessed to the people around them.  Our call is to witness the people of Peachtree City.  

In 2008 Pope Benedict wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, as in early times, today too Christ needs apostles ready to sacrifice themselves.  He needs witnesses and martyrs like St Paul.  Paul, a former violent persecutor of Christians, when he fell to the ground dazzled by the divine light on the road to Damascus, did not hesitate to change sides to the Crucified One and followed him without second thoughts.  He lived and worked for Christ, for him he suffered and died. How timely his example is today”!

Loving God,
you called us each by name
and gave your only Son to redeem us.
In your faithfulness,
you sent the Holy Spirit to complete the mission of Jesus among us.

Open our hearts to Jesus.
Give us the courage to speak his name
to those who are close to us
and the generosity to share his love with those who are far away.

We pray that every person
throughout the world
be invited to know and love Jesus
as Savior and Redeemer.


May they come to know his all-surpassing love.
May that love transform every element of our society.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.