2025/06/29 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
- Katie Bak, Sr. Director of Admin & Facilities
On this Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we are invited to contemplate two towering figures of the early Church—so different in background, temperament, and mission, yet united in their love for Christ and their unwavering commitment to the Gospel.
This feast day celebrates so many things including how there is unity in diversity. Peter, the fisherman, was impulsive and often unsure. He denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus still chose him to be the rock upon which the Church would be built. Paul, once a zealous persecutor of Christians, encountered the risen Lord and became the Apostle to the Gentiles, tirelessly proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy. But both men, despite their differences played crucial roles in the development of the church.
This weekend, we are also reminded of the power of faith and transformation. Their lives remind us that God does not call the perfect—He perfects those He calls. Both men were deeply flawed, yet deeply loved. Their transformation came not from their own strength, but from their surrender to Christ’s mercy and mission – just as we are called to do.
As I reflect on their witness, I ask myself: Who is Jesus to me? Is He merely a figure from Scripture, or the living Lord who calls me daily to follow Him? Like Peter, do I trust Him even when I stumble? Like Paul, am I open to radical conversion when I hear His voice? I encourage you to consider the same.
Their courage too challenges and comforts me. In a world that often resists truth and love, do I stand firm in faith? Do I speak of Christ with boldness, even when it’s uncomfortable? And yet, amid their boldness, Peter and Paul also teach humility. They knew their mission was not about personal glory, but about building up the Body of Christ, and just like at Saint Clement, building the Kingdom of God. Each of our unique gifts, talents, experiences, personalities, differences all are essential to embracing God’s call and fulfilling the mission of the church.
Today, I pray for the grace for us to be more like them: bold in faith, humble in service, and open to the transforming power of God’s love. May all of us be a living stone in the Church, and a light to the world.