Feast of Ss Peter & Paul  Acts 12:1-11; II Tim 4:6-8, 17-18 Mt 16:13-19     

Quo Vadis Domine Church in Rome commemorates the experience which followed St. Peter’s decision to avoid persecution and death by going to another city rather than remaining in Rome.

According to tradition Peter was leaving Rome with his friend, Nazarius, during the height of Nero’s persecution of Christians. He met the risen Jesus on the outskirts of the city. Jesus, however, was walking into, not out of Rome. "Quo vadis, Domine?" ("Where are you going, Lord?" he asked.  "I must go to Rome to be crucified once more, Jesus said. Peter understood that Jesus was going in as he was going out of Rome. Peter turned and went back to Rome to be crucified in AD.64.

Today we observe the feast of the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul. 

Peter was son of Jonah and brother of Andrew. He might have been a follower of John the Baptist. It was his brother Andrew who introduced him to Jesus, and Jesus changed his name from Simon to Cephas or Peter. With James and John he was privileged to witness the Transfiguration, the raising of a dead child to life and the agony in Gethsemane. Peter is willing to accept Jesus' doctrine of forgiveness, but suggests a limit of seven times. He walks on the water in faith, but sinks in doubt. He refuses to let Jesus wash his feet, then wants his whole body cleansed. He swears at the Last Supper that he will never deny Jesus, and then swears to a servant maid that he has never known the man. He loyally resists the first attempt to arrest Jesus by cutting off Malchus' ear, but in the end he runs away with the others. In the depth of his sorrow, Jesus looks on him and forgives him, and he goes out and sheds bitter tears. The Risen Jesus told Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21:15-17). He was sent with John to prepare for the last Passover before Jesus' death. His name is first on every list of apostles. Jesus made him the leader of his apostles and the rock on which he would build his Church. He also convened the first Church Council in Jerusalem and wrote two epistles to the whole Church. From the earliest days of the Church, Peter was recognized as the Prince of the Apostles and the first Supreme Pontiff.

Paul, the fanatical Pharisee and scholar of Judaism was miraculously converted and chosen by the Holy Spirit to be the “apostle to the Gentiles.” Paul's experience of the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus was the driving force that made him one of the most zealous, dynamic and courageous ambassadors of Christ the Church has ever had. The dying Christ was in him; the living Christ was his life. He wrote 14 epistles, made several missionary journeys and spent his final days in prison in Caesarea and Rome.  He was beheaded in Rome. Over his grave was built St. Paul’s Cathedral in Rome.

After Jesus, Paul is the most prominent person in the New Testament. 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament are letters attributed to Paul and more than half of the Acts of the Apostles is devoted to Paul’s conversion and to his apostolic activities in spreading the Good News. Paul’s greatness lies in his passion for the Good News about Jesus and his desire to share it. That is why Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed the period from June 29, 2008, to June 29, 2009, as the Pauline Year to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of the apostle’s birth.  

Peter and Paul were not saints when they answered the call of Jesus; in fact, they were also sinners and they made a lot of mistakes just like us. Peter even denied Jesus Christ to save himself. He abandoned Jesus in his last days. He said that he would give his life for Jesus, but when he was confronted with the reality of life, he cowered. Paul, on the other hand, tortured and persecuted the Christians. But in the end Peter and Paul were humble enough to admit their weaknesses and worked very hard to build a church by converting thousands of people to Christ and shepherding the flock assigned to them by Jesus Christ.    

What made Peter and Paul  do sacrifices of their lives ?
Because, in the words of Apostle Paul, they were held captive by the words and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is Paul’s way of saying they were slaves to Christ.

We are called by Christ and commissioned to go out like Peter and Paul to preach the gospel, and if necessitated give our lives as a libation for him. Have I given myself to Jesus so much as to say I am ready to die for him?  Paul said: for me to live or die is the same in Christ. I can do everything in Christ who strengthens me. Do I try to do everything IN Christ and For Christ  as Paul did?