Peter & Paul 2008

On the feast of St Peter and Paul this year the light falls on St Paul, because this weekend Pope Benedict has called a special year in honour of St Paul to celebrate the 2000 anniversary of his birth.

In the light of the beginning of the Pauline year, here are some details about Paul’s life: He came from a place called Tarsus in modern day. His family by profession were tentmakers; you might say house builders of former times. They seem to have done some work for the Romans, because Paul and the rest of his family were allowed to be Roman citizens with all its special favours. Paul was part of the Jewish diaspora, Jews had spread throughout the known world and lived in different communities these were often stricter Jews than others, he returned to Jerusalem for studies. He was a very orthodox Jew and seems to have taken up a task to try to remove the heretical group of followers of Christ. It was on such a journey that he fell of his horse after a vision of Christ. Soon after that he became a Christian himself. People don’t seem to have quite trusted Paul: they remembered the way that he had treated people and they were put off by his stubbornness and hotheadedness. He was soon sent away to leave people in peace. It was Barnabas who brought Paul back after a number of years to begin the work of taking the Gospel to different places. He preached first at Antioch and then they set out to Cyprus, Asia Minor, Greece and Ephesus. Upon returning he was attacked by a mob and as a Roman citizen declared that he must be tried by the Emperor. He was taken to Rome but was shipwrecked at Malta where he spent 2 years under house arrest. He must have been acquitted because he was began more journeys and might have gone to Spain and returned to Ephesus. Again he was arrested and taken to Rome where he spent some time under house arrest, he was eventually put to death by having his head cut off and was buried at a place outside the walls where a great church stills stands which is called St Paul’s outside the walls.

This is what St Paul taught he taught that the Law was no longer important. People couldn’t be saved by the Law but through faith in Jesus. Jesus was not just the Messiah but the very Son of God come on earth. The Church was not just an organisation but the body of Christ.

It is difficult for us to calculate the influence of St Paul. It is felt that as a person he understood the teaching of Christ like a few others. Most of the great thinkers have been influenced by him. His teaching on Christ, the Church, Eucharist, grace and so many other things are the bedrock of our understanding. We get these from the letters that are still read in the church at Mass. When we think of it ourselves we cannot avoid Paul, we hear his voice very Sunday, every funeral, every wedding.

God chose this tentmaker. This persecutor Christians. This quarrelsome man, to be the one who would bring many to him. He sent him out with this great work. He could not have imagined that great work would continue, his voice would be heard throughout the world and in different times.

Pope Benedict has called this year to remind us of this chosen instrument. Hopefully we can take the chance to read what he says and to think about it.

Prayers of Intercession Feast of St Peter and Paul

Priest

On this holy solemnity we bring our prayers for all our needs

Intercessor

For our present Holy Father, Pope Benedict, that he may turn the hearts of people back to God who have lost their way in life.

Lord hear us

For the Church which strive to be faithful to its mission – that St Paul the apostle to the Gentiles, may keep the Church ever aware of its role to go out the nations.

Lord hear us

For the suffering and persecuted Church in the world, that the courage of many members of the Church throughout the world may strengthen us for the daily trials that we face.

Lord hear us

For ourselves in our pilgrimage that we may be open to what God wishes to say to us in these days and the graces that he wishes to give us.

Lord hear us

For the families that we belong to, that we may be ever more families that place God at the heart of our daily lives.

Lord hear us

Priest

Heavenly Father, on the feast of the great saints of the Roman Church who preached and where martyred there, strengthen your church in the mandate that you have given to it to be the sacrament of your love. top Comment on this Homily