SAINTS PETER & PAUL
By Fr. Carmelo Jimenez
Today -Sunday- in many churches the Apostles Peter and Paul are commemorated. Both were martyred in Rome, Italy, in the first century. Rome has a lot churches but four of them are big and beautiful: the Basilica of Saint Peter, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, and the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Over the tomb of Saint Peter is the Altar for Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Pope celebrates the Mass every Sunday. From there the Pope teaches and guides the whole Catholic Church. These four basilicas were under the Pope’s direction. With his teaching the Pope continues “feeding the lambs, tending & feeding the sheep” of Jesus.
The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside of the Walls has the tomb of Saint Paul and the chains with which Paul was chained. That basilica is called the Papal Basilica because it has all the pope’s pictures. The chains with which Peter was chained are in Saint Pietro Church in Vincoli in Rome, a minor church very close to the Coliseum. Both saints: Peter and Paul were in jail in Rome and martyred. With their Martyrdom they gave testimony to their faith in Jesus Christ: “when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (JN 21: 18).
Both apostles are good evangelists. Peter evangelized to the people who converted from the Jewish people. Paul evangelized to the pagans and Gentiles. But Paul always recognized Peter as the head of the Catholic Church after Jesus Christ. Paul’s hope was to “receive the crown of righteousness” and with him, all who have longed for Christ’s appearance.
Jesus instituted the Church over Peter and gave him and the other apostles the power to absolve sins. The seven sacraments came from Jesus for the good of the church. Since the apostles were the foundation of the church, the church has continuity until Pope Francis. “And so I -Jesus- 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.” In the history of the Catholic Church there have been difficult moments but the Church always gets through them and continues because Jesus is present. Jesus promised to be present and he has fulfilled that promise.
Saints Peter and Paul worked tirelessly to spread the gospel, not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations as well. They risked their lives in the process and gladly poured out their blood in loyalty to their Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Their martyrdom and testimony give us the courage to continue spreading the Gospel of Jesus. If we live the faith in Jesus, we would share love and hope, and as Saints Peter and Paul are in heaven with Jesus Christ, we also can get into heaven.