Word to the Wise
Saturday, June 29, 2019 - June 29 - Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Mass during the Day
[Acts 12:1-11; 2 Tim 4:6-8, 17-18; Matt 16:13-19]"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." [Matthew] "The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it." [2 Timothy]
The figures of St. Peter and St. Paul stand as giants not only in the early history of the Church, but they continue to influence the way our Church fulfills its mission to proclaim the gospel. Peter's influence is manifested in the person of the pope and the papal ministry - a central figure who represents the unity of the Church. Paul's influence is felt in the theology of his writings and in the diversity of the Church. His decision to focus on Gentile converts to Christianity made it possible for the faith to spread beyond the small group in Jerusalem to all the known world. He represents the "charismatic" side of the Church in the sense that much proclamation occurs outside the sacramental structures of the faith. As a result, theologians sometimes speak of "Petrine ministry" and "Pauline ministry."
Pope Francis has managed to capture both aspects in his person. He has tackled the problems of governance which had centralized too much authority in the Roman bureaucracy while traveling extensively and preaching in countries where the Church is a small minority. His call (read "The Joy of the Gospel) to all the baptized to be missionaries encourages the Pauline challenge for everyone to bring their particular gifts to the task.
In celebrating this feast day, we can be grateful to the Lord for the two figures who remind us of the importance of everyone from Pope to Pewperson in the task of proclaiming Christ. AMEN