St Peter and St Paul

FR DOMINIC’S HOMILY

Both St. Peter and St Paul were very important to the Church for different reasons. Peter was the first Pope and held the Church together. Paul was a great preacher and missionary. They were both eventually martyred for their faith.

The choosing of Peter teaches us a lesson. The Church’s foundation stone and its first leader is not all wise, all knowing, good and heroic. He is a very ordinary man who makes as many mistakes as we do.

But the Church is not just for saints: it is for sinners too. Grace still holds the Church together. It is through the very cracks in our strength that the Holy Spirit can shine through. Peter was a man of great Faith and this is what counts.

To be a truly great leader in this world you do not need to be a hero. You simply need to allow yourself to be human and not focus on your mistakes but rather focus on how you can move forwards.

St. Paul is always reminding people of his weakness. But he says “when I am weak I am strong.” Vulnerability is strength and not a weakness because when we empty out our ego God can fill us with his grace. It’s only when we are leaning on God that he can work through us effectively.

Paul was very effective at preaching to the non Jewish section of the new and growing church after Pentecost. His preaching was very successful and he brought huge numbers into the church. He travelled extensively and endured tremendous hardships.

So each of these two saints is important for different reasons. Peter was the first Pope and kept the church united which was growing very rapidly in the years following Pentecost. Paul taught the Jews that Jesus is actually the fulfilment of their teaching.

Whenever you see statues of Peter and Paul, usually Peter is holding a key, symbolizing his duty as head of the church, and Paul is holding the Bible, symbolizing his preaching.

Sometimes you see Peter holding a cross and St Paul a sword as that was how they ultimately died.

So what counts is to be strong in faith. In the end, its grace that gives us the courage to bear witness when it counts, grace that gives us the wisdom needed to see difficult situations in the right way, and grace that gives us the patience to persevere.

We see this all in Saint Peter and St. Paul and rather than being heroic figures they are for us great role models in the church that we are able to aspire towards.

Both of them had faults and weaknesses but it is through the cracks in a pot that the light can shine through. We are all vessels of God’s love. God uses our weaknesses and vulnerabilities to help spread his love to others.

If we are too much in control then there is not enough space in the pot for him to enter. We have to empty out our selfishness before he can fill us with his love.

St. Peter and St. Paul showed their weaknesses but persevered and kept their faith. They were great role models for us in life.