Sts. Peter & Paul

"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"  They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.  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.  I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.   Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."  Matthew 16:13-19

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter & Paul.  This Gospel has always had special meaning for me as it is the one used at my religious profession.  Whenever I hear or read this Gospel I am brought back to that event.  Today this Gospel is used to honor Sts. Peter and Paul.  Peter who became the rock upon which Jesus built the Church and Paul who had been a persecutor of Christians turned out to be a champion for the faith.  He experienced a profound conversion and went from persecuting to defending.  They both had an experience of Jesus that changed their life forever.  Perhaps today is a good day to look at our own relationship with Jesus and answer the question, “Who do you say that I am?”

Pat Schifini, OSU