Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

First Reading

Acts 12:1-11

In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
“Get up quickly.”
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”
He did so.
Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
 “Now I know for certain
 that the Lord sent his angel
 and rescued me from the hand of Herod
 and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”

Second reading

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

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.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel

Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“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.”

Sermon

Dear sisters and brothers in faith,
Simon Peter and Saul Paul - let me first paint a brief picture of these two witnesses of Christ. I will use sources from the Holy Scriptures and tradition:

Simon, a fisherman from Galilee, was married, but we know almost nothing about his family; his mother-in-law comes briefly into the picture once, when she is healed by Jesus himself:

Simon, a deeply pious man who - like many other Jews of his time - lives and thinks in great expectation of the coming of the Messiah.

Simon, who is approached by Jesus; he who sets off with him in response to this call. He is given the name Peter, i.e. rock, by Jesus himself; indeed, he becomes the first and “spokesman” of the Twelve.

Simon was probably not a scholar, a theologian or a man with a great knowledge of languages.

“Ardent”, strong and clear on the one hand; doubting, even cowardly and denying on the other.

It is only in his encounter with the Risen Lord and in the Pentecost event that Peter frees himself from many of his fears, doubts and probably also feelings of inferiority. He preaches, he proclaims, indeed he becomes a courageous witness for Jesus and his message.

Later, he is also credited with journeys and encounters as far as Rome. He is also said to have suffered martyrdom here.

Many of us are familiar with the famous novel or feature film “Quo Vadis”; here these last stages of his life are described in novelistic form

Saul, a son of Pharisees and a Roman citizen, was probably one of the most educated of his time; he was well educated in theology and probably also in languages. He also learned the trade of a tentmaker, which he practiced throughout his life.

Saul, who could really “go to bat” for his religion, who could count himself as a defender of Jewish traditions. Then comes the life-defining encounter with Christ outside Damascus. Saul becomes Paul. He becomes one of the greatest missionaries of the apostolic era. Now it is Jesus who reaches him, who makes him wander and travel - all the way to Europe.

Paul proclaimed the good news of Christ everywhere, opening the way for non-Jews to this “new way” and allowing them to form churches. He also stood up for this good news of Jesus himself and was mistreated several times for it, thrown into prison, persecuted, misunderstood and ultimately brought to Rome in chains, where - according to the sources - he then suffered a martyr's death. His letters, and those of his disciples, became the great source of Christianity right up to the present day.

Some sources of the Church Fathers describe Paul as fiery, sometimes choleric and above all passionate; he is so filled with Christ that, as he himself writes, he cannot help but preach about Him, whether it is convenient or inconvenient.

Who is actually more important, Peter or Paul? Who is more important? The one whom Jesus called the rock, or the one who spread the gospel to the ends of the earth?

Dear brothers and sisters, how would you decide?

The one preserved tradition, felt committed to what had grown, the other forged ahead, threw overboard what was an obstacle in order to break new ground, and sought new answers to old questions, which were now being asked in a completely different situation.

One felt confirmed in his authority due to his commission and mission by Jesus Christ, the other through his intellect and study of the scriptures.

Both are as different as they could possibly be. And today we celebrate both in a common feast - they have to endure it together and side by side, so to speak.

The Church itself has never dared to answer the question of which of the two is the more important. It has always mentioned Peter and Paul together and in the same breath. And it has probably done quite well to do so.

This question cannot be answered either. Neither Paul nor Peter is the more important. Because both are necessary! Both Paul and Peter are needed. We need to look at the wealth of the heritage of past centuries, the treasure of the traditions and the established tradition, and we also need to look boldly to the future, to renew and reorient ourselves, to translate the message into a new language and changed times.

And both are needed side by side. If one part were to claim to be everything or to be right on its own, then this church would no longer be the one that started with Jesus.

One felt confirmed in his authority due to his commission and mission by Jesus Christ, the other through his intellect and study of the scriptures.

Both are as different as they could possibly be. And today we celebrate both in a common feast - they have to endure it together and side by side, so to speak.

The Church itself has never dared to answer the question of which of the two is the more important. It has always mentioned Peter and Paul together and in the same breath. And it has probably done quite well to do so.

This question cannot be answered either. Neither Paul nor Peter is the more important. Because both are necessary! Both Paul and Peter are needed. We need to look at the wealth of the heritage of past centuries, the treasure of the traditions and the established tradition, and we also need to look boldly to the future, to renew and reorient ourselves, to translate the message into a new language and changed times.

And both are needed side by side. If one part were to claim to be everything or to be right on its own, then this church would no longer be the one that started with Jesus.