June 29 Feast of Peter and Paul

2 Corinthians 11: 21-30.
To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone dares to boast of I am speaking as a fool I also dare to boast of that.
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman I am a better one: with far greater labours, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death.
Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters;
in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked.
And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Matthew 16:13-20.
When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’
And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’
Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’
And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

O Lord God,
make us worthy to observe the memorial of your
holy apostles Peter and Paul,
who led your infant Church.
They proclaimed the gospel to Israel
and to the nations
and received the martyr’s crown.
Bless us through their intercession.
Let our prayers ascend to you from sincere
hearts and lips.
We shall praise the life giving Trinity,
now and for ever. Amen.

We look at the conversion of Paul, following an encounter with the risen Lord with a curse of blindness and an affirmation of restored sight and see not an inspiration, but an excuse. “If God wanted me to take faith seriously, he would appear to me, and do as much as He did for Paul.” We look at the conversion of St. Peter, three years with Jesus, a denial, followed by an encounter and receiving mercy and look at the event not as an inspiration, but as an excuse. “If U could be forgiven, God would do to me what He did to Peter.” Or, “If God had plans for my life He would be as involved as He was with Peter.” Yet, through the Church and the Sacred mysteries, we have the same encounter with Jesus as Paul did, we are given a new name as Simon Peter was at baptism, and we receive the Holy Spirit as was given at Pentecost. If we look at the example of the saints as what can and does happen in our lives, and pray for the grace to follow Jesus, then we can honor the lives of Peter and Paul through our own imitation of Christ.