Homily: Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul
Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul (Mt. 16:13-19)
Church is messy. This is a saying that rings true. I say this after being an ordained minister in the church for almost 40 years. We see that messiness in our church today. The church seems to be polarized like our politics.
Somehow, we have a sense that at the start the church was a unified Christian community with cooperation, the chief attribute of all those who were involved. If we think that, we are mistaken. There were arguments in the church from the beginning.
We celebrate the feasts of two of the greatest church leaders in the early church, Peter and Paul. These two men were at odds on several occasions. What were their disagreements about?
To put it simply, they fought over how and when gentile Christians should be admitted into the church. Peter was cautious. He was a Jew his whole life and had a sense that gentile Christians should embrace the Jewish faith as they became followers of Jesus. At times he insisted on that. At other times he wanted to let non-Jews in without a lot of strictures.
Paul wanted to let non-Jews into the Christian faith with as much ease as possible. He wanted new converts to adhere to a moral code. They were to be honest, upright, chaste, ethical people, but he did not see why they had to be circumcised or fulfill other Jewish practices.
Paul criticized Peter for being so wishy washy about these issues. We can imagine Peter did not appreciate it. We have a sense in the scriptures, that even though they disagreed they still respected each other. In the end, the church survived and prospered.
What does that teach us? It teaches us that the arguments do not necessarily mean that a church will disintegrate. Sometimes the church has become stronger when its leaders have spoken hard truths to each other.
Reflection Questions:
- What is my perception of the early church? Am I surprised that two saints argued with each other?
- What is the biggest issue being debated in the church today? Is it good for the church leaders to disagree in public or is it better to keep arguments behind closed doors?
Dear Parishioners,
This Sunday we will be having another outdoor Mass. The 9 a.m. Mass will be at Culemans Hall. You are asked to bring your own lawn chair. This is a wonderful opportunity to have an uplifting celebration. When we are outdoors, we can do some singing. We can also drop mask wearing and interact in a more natural way.
We will also be celebrating Father Matthew’s 25th Anniversary of being a priest. There will be a small reception after Mass. Please come and wish Father well. Spread the word.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark