Homily for the Sts. Peter and Paul: June 29, 2008

Given by the Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton.

Today we celebrate in the Church the great Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul – regarded as the founders of the Church in Rome and by tradition martyred there. For this reason, the Diocese of Rome has always held first place in honor among the ancient apostolic seas founded by the Apostles. The successor of Peter as bishop of Rome serves as Pope of the Church. The unity of the universal Church is maintained by all the bishops and the dioceses around the world (the local Churches)being in communion with Rome – with the Pope. Each diocese is not a subsidiary of Rome but a Church in its own right with a bishop who represents not the Pope but Jesus Christ. The authenticity, however, of the diocese ( the local Church) as Catholic depends upon union with Rome.

Today we begin a year dedicated by Pope Benedict XVI to St. Paul, the great missionary to the Gentiles. He established many local churches and went up to Jerusalem to insure unity by meeting with Peter, James the leader of the Church in Jerusalem, and John.

Paul has given us thirteen letters in the New Testament and made, as best as we can determine from the Acts of the Apostles, at least three missionary journeys. Paul was a Hellenist Jew (a Jew who was not living in Palestine) from Tarsus (modern day Turkey) and a Roman citizen. Sometime around the year 35 A.D. he had a remarkable religious experience which converted him to Christ. From then on he preached the gospel and evangelized numerous ancient Gentile peoples, suffering persecutions, imprisonment, rejection from the synagogues, stoning and shipwreck. He preached salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The Law (what we might call in brevity, the Ten Commandments) was a teacher but it had no power to save. Only faith in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ could bring one to eternal salvation.

For Paul, our relationship with Christ, is always in the Church, the living body of Christ in the world. Paul remained at heart a true Jew, part of a chosen people in the covenant with God. However, there is now a new covenant, a new chosen people. In his letter to the Colossians Paul admonishes the people on how to deepen this union with Christ: “As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience….Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts.

During this Pauline Year I will be asking our priests to preach on the Pauline scriptures which appear in the Sunday liturgies. Paul is important because he shaped so much of our Christianity. While the message of the gospel which he preached was couched in the culture of the time, the message itself contains the revelation of God on how to live for God in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that the Pauline year will nourish our faith and deepen our spirituality as members of the body of Christ.

Last Update July 21, 2008