This is the week for celebrating important Bishops. Today in Rome, there is great celebration. The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul is always marked with a special Mass. This morning at 9:30am local time, the Holy Father presided at a liturgy within the Basilica of Saint Peter, during which he also presented pallia to 41 newly appointed Metropolitan Archbishops.
Today also marks the sixtieth anniversary of priestly ordination for Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI), so his reflection today is that much more an opportunity for sharing his personal reflections about priesthood and about leadership in service to the Church.
In order to understand the importance of this Feast, perhaps we are better to refer to the wisdom of Saint Augustine who once wrote 'This day has been made holy by the passion of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. We are, therefore, not talking about some obscure martyrs. For their voice has gone forth to all the world, and to the ends of the earth their message. These martyrs realized what they taught: they pursued justice, they confessed the truth, they died for it.
Saint Peter, the first of the apostles and a fervent lover of Christ, merited to hear these words: I say to you that you are Peter, for he had said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Christ said: And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. On this rock I will build the faith that you now confess, and on your words: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, I will build my Church. For you are Peter, and the name Peter comes from petra, the word for 'rock', and not vice versa. 'Peter' comes, therefore, from petra, just as 'Christian' comes from Christ.
Peter and Paul share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And as we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostle's blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labours, their sufferings, their preaching and their confession of faith.
Today also marks the sixtieth anniversary of priestly ordination for Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI), so his reflection today is that much more an opportunity for sharing his personal reflections about priesthood and about leadership in service to the Church.
In order to understand the importance of this Feast, perhaps we are better to refer to the wisdom of Saint Augustine who once wrote 'This day has been made holy by the passion of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. We are, therefore, not talking about some obscure martyrs. For their voice has gone forth to all the world, and to the ends of the earth their message. These martyrs realized what they taught: they pursued justice, they confessed the truth, they died for it.
Saint Peter, the first of the apostles and a fervent lover of Christ, merited to hear these words: I say to you that you are Peter, for he had said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Christ said: And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. On this rock I will build the faith that you now confess, and on your words: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, I will build my Church. For you are Peter, and the name Peter comes from petra, the word for 'rock', and not vice versa. 'Peter' comes, therefore, from petra, just as 'Christian' comes from Christ.
Peter and Paul share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And as we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostle's blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labours, their sufferings, their preaching and their confession of faith.
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