Daily Masses - feast day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

It is a great joy to commemorate the original Rock on which the Church was built, long ago, and alongside him the wandering Apostle to the Gentiles, who built the Church far beyond its original provinces in Judaea and Syria. Mass was offered yesterday morning for the repose of the souls of Kevin, Colm and Brian Litting (++), may they rest beyond this world in the eternal embrace of Christ. Mass was offered this morning for the Holy Souls, continuing the novena sequence of Masses from last week; today was the seventh. 

I don't have to describe either Peter or Paul. Peter we remember for his impulsiveness, and his utter dedication to Christ and the Church, being carried off finally where he would rather not go (Gospel of S. John, 21: 18). Paul we remember for his beautiful letters, written to encourage the infant churches he had established and had to leave behind (such as the letters to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, etc.) and to encourage the priest-bishops he had consecrated to oversee some of these churches (such as Timothy of Ephesos, and Titus of Crete). He too was an utterly dedicated soul, who gave his life for the Church. One of the most powerful passages from his letters is used often to characterise all the Apostles of that age, who built churches in various places. It explains why we call our priests and bishops 'father,' to the confusion of certain other Christian communities. Here it is, and I should like to give Paul the last word, as usual:

"As it is, it seems as if God had destined us, His apostles, to be in the lowest place of all, like men under sentence of death; such a spectacle do we present to the whole creation, men and angels alike. We are fools for Christ’s sake, you are so wise; we are so helpless, you so stout of heart; you are held in honour, while we are despised. Still, as I write, we go hungry and thirsty and naked; we are mishandled, we have no home to settle in, we are hard put to it, working with our own hands. Men revile us, and we answer with a blessing, persecute us, and we make the best of it, speak ill of us, and we fall to entreaty. We are still the world’s refuse; everybody thinks himself well rid of us. I am not writing this to shame you; you are my dearly loved children, and I would bring you to a better mind. Yes, you may have ten thousand schoolmasters in Christ, but not more than one father; it was I that begot you in Jesus Christ, when I preached the gospel to you. Follow my example, then, I entreat you, as I follow Christ’s." - I Corinthians 4: 9-16

S. Peter and S. Paul, holding the instruments of their martyrdom