Message from Fr. Luis R. Largaespada V.F.

St. Hugh Catholic Parish

Their Message Goes Out to All the Earth (Ps 19:5).

Every few years, when June 29 falls on a Sunday, the Church in the United States celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. While this date is a holy day of obligation for most of the Church, it is not so for us in this country; so this is a welcome opportunity to reflect on what we owe to these blessed Apostles.

Peter is the rock on whose confession “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16) the faith of the Church finds its foundation. Paul, by God’s grace turned from persecutor into apostle, is the “vessel of election” (Acts 9:15) chosen by the Lord to take the faith to the gentiles. Through their preaching, the Good News reached “all the earth”, as the psalm read on the Vigil Mass says.

Pope Francis, in his Angelus message on this feast in 2014, explains that “Faith in Jesus Christ made them brothers and their martyrdom has made them one. St. Peter and St. Paul, so different from each other on a human level, were personally chosen by the Lord Jesus and they answered the call by offering their entire life. In both of them the grace of Christ accomplished great things, it transformed them.”

Yes, the grace of Christ transformed them, and it can transform us also if we let ourselves be transformed. Let us today ask the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul, that, like them, we may take Christ’s message to all the earth. God bless you.

Fr. Luis R. Largaespada V.F.