Wednesday, June 29, 2016
STS. PETER AND PAUL, Apostles
29 June 2016, Wednesday
STS. PETER AND PAUL, Apostles
Solemnity. Red.
Vigil: Acts 3: 1 – 10 / Gal 1: 11–20 / Jn 21: 15 – 19
Day: Acts 12:1 – 11 / 2 Tm 4: 6 – 8, 17 – 18 / Mt 16: 13 – 19
Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, are the two pillars of the Church: St. Peter as the first Bishop of Rome and St. Paul as the Apostle to the Gentiles. St. Peter was martyred in Rome under Nero, crucified upside down c. 64 AD and St. Paul beheaded by the sword c. 67 AD.
1st Reading: Acts 3:1 – 10.
Once when Peter and John were going up to the Temple at three in the afternoon, the hour for prayer, a man crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day they would bring him and put him at the temple gate called "Beautiful": there he begged from those who entered the Temple.
When he saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple, he asked for alms. Then Peter with John at his side looked straight at him and said, "Look at us." So he looked at them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, and walk!"
Then he took the beggar by his right hand and helped him up. At once his feet and ankles became firm, and jumping up he stood on his feet and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God.
All the people saw him walking and praising God; they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were all astonished and amazed at what had happened to him.
2nd Reading: 2 Tm 4: 6 – 8, 17 – 18
As for the time of sacrifice has arrived, and the moment of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness with which the Lord, the just judge, will reward me on that day; and not only me, but all those who have longed for his glorious coming. . . .
But the Lord was at my side, giving me strength to proclaim the Word fully, and let all the pagans hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will save me from all evil, bringing me to his heavenly kingdom. Glory to him for ever and ever. Amen.
After that Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, "What do people say of the Son of Man? Who do they say I am?" They said, "For some of them you are John the Baptist, for others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
Jesus asked them, "But you, who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. And now I say to you: You are Peter (or Rock) and on this rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and what you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven."
Reflection
The cripple sitting at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple asks Peter and John for alms, for something material, perhaps a coin that could assuage his hunger. Peter responds, "I have neither silver nor gold." He has nothing solid and tangible, nothing highly prized by the world.
But Peter has something the cripple never dreamt of asking: "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, walk!" A cripple from birth, he now leaps and walks and jumps, and enters the Temple praising God.
To his great surprise the cripple receives not only vitality and life but the very Life himself, Jesus Christ. No longer just sitting at the Temple Gate, but able to enter the Temple, the cripple also receives the unfathomable gift of faith in Jesus, he whom the letter to the Hebrews describes as the "pioneer and perfecter of our faith," the pledge and guarantee of our faith!
Like the cripple, be open to be surprised by God, And on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul who were also surprised by God, pass on the same gift of faith to others.
WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:
BIRTHDAY
Kenneth Y. Yao
Ropdy G. Bagabaldo
IN MEMORIAM (+)
National Scientist Perla D. Santos-Ocampo
Mary Elizabeth L. Yu (Oct 30, 1998 – Jun 29, 1999)
OTHER INTENTIONS:
For the complete healing of Raul Guibani.
For the eternal repose of the souls of George M. Sandoval, Petra G. Sandoval and Stephen C. Shibler.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 5:48 AM 
