Monday June 29, 2009 Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul

Readings for Morning Mass:

ACTS 12: 1-11 Psalm 34: 2-9 2Timothy 4: 6-8, 17-18 Matthew 16: 13-19
Respone: "The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear Him!"

King Herod Aggripa,one of Herod the Great's sons, ruled in Judea after his dad died. He was a ruthless leader and is suspected of being the infamous killer of the first martyrs of the Church. In addition, the Jews hated him. So, to curry favor with the Jewswhom he ruled, he decided to crush the movement begun by Christ and continuing through the efforts of His Apostles. So, he had James, the brother of John Zebbedee, beheaded and had Peter arrested to bring him to trial and probable execution.
Peter was shackled and thrown into the deepest part of a prison and secured by guards beside and around him to prevent followers from rescuing him.
During his imprisonment, while he was sleeping betweentwo guards, an earthquake ensued and the shackles fell from the wall. He was free! However, because of the sleeping guards he hesitated to skeddadle until the angel of the Lord lead him past the guards and the locked gates which miraculously open of them selves as Peter and the angel approached.
This is a lesson of how God will rescue us from the perils of a sinful generation. We're not tied to a wall but we're intimidated by the mores of our society. If we prayerfully ask for His direction in our lives, He will remove our shackles and provide the courage to go against the grain of society at large and follow Him.

The psalm response affirms God's concern for our safety. He will rescue those who fear Him. He is always there if only we impolore His grace to get through the days and nights without offending Him.

Paul's adopted son, Timothy, is the recipient of two letter from his mentor Paul.
Knowing he is about to die for the Faith, Paul exhorts Tim to oimitate him. Keep the Faith, finish the race, be ever perserverent! These are the same benchwords to encourage us to stay until the last lap in our lives. By doing so we will be accepted into the arms of Jesus when the race is over!

As a prelude to His taking His message to the rest of the world, Jesus symbolically enters into pagan territory to establish His Church. When He asked for an idea of what the people thought of Him many suggestions popped into the minds of the followers. "One of the many prophets returned to life"
However, moved by the Spirit of God, good ole Peter proclaimed Him to be the Only Son of God the Father. This is what prompted Jesus to rename Simon, "Peter", Rock as an additional symbol of the foundation of His Church. We are the beneficiaries of the imposition of authority on Peter to preach His Chufch to the ends of the earth!