by Fr. Deacon Pedro Fulop
THE
HOLY APOSTLE PETER: The son of Jonah and brother of Andrew the
First-Called, of the tribe of Simeon and the town of Bethsaida, he was a
fisherman and was at first called Simon, but the Lord was pleased to call him
Cephas, or Peter (Jn 1:42). He was the first of the disciples to give clear
expression to his faith in the Lord Jesus, saying: "Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the Living God" (Mt 16:16). His love for the Lord was very
strong, and his faith in Him went from strength to strength. When the Lord was
put on trial, Peter denied him three times, but it needed only one look into
the face of the Lord, and Peter's soul was filled with shame and repentance.
After the descent of the Holy Spirit, Peter became a fearless and powerful
preacher of the Gospel. After his first sermon in Jerusalem, about 3,000 souls
were converted to the Faith. He preached the Gospel throughout Palestine and
Asia Minor, in Italy and Illyria. He performed many wonders, healing the sick
and raising the dead, and even his shadow had the power of healing the sick. He
had a major struggle with Simon the Magician, who declared himself to be from
God but was actually a servant of the devil. He finally put him to shame and
overcame him. Peter was condemned to death on the order of the wicked Emperor
Nero, a friend of Simon's. After installing Linus as Bishop of Rome and
exhorting and encouraging the flock of Christ there, Peter went to his death
with joy. When he saw the cross before him, he asked the executioner to crucify
him upside-down, because he felt himself unworthy to die in the same way as his
Lord. And so this great servant of the greatest Master went to his rest and
received a crown of eternal glory.
THE
HOLY APOSTLE PAUL: Born in Tarsus and of the tribe of
Benjamin, he was formerly called Saul and studied under Gamaliel. He was a
Pharisee and a persecutor of Christians. He was wondrously converted to the
Christian faith by the Lord Himself, who appeared to him on the road to
Damascus. He was baptized by the Apostle Ananias, named Paul and enrolled in
the work of the Great Apostles. He preached the Gospel everywhere with burning
zeal, from the borders of Arabia to the land of Spain, among both the Jews and
the heathen, and receiving the title of "The Apostle to the Gentiles."
His fearful sufferings were matched only by his superhuman endurance. Through
all the years of his preaching, he hung from day to day like a thread between
life and death. Filling his days and nights with toil and sufferings for
Christ, organizing the Church in many places and receiving a high level of
perfection, he was able to say: "I live, yet not I but Christ lives in
me" (Gal 2:20). He was beheaded in Rome in the reign of Nero, at the same
time as St. Peter.
O holy apostles, Peter and Paul, I choose you this day and forever
to be my special patrons and advocates; thee, St. Peter, Prince of the
Apostles, because thou art the Rock, upon which Almighty God hath built His
Church; thee, St. Paul, because thou was fore-chosen by God as the Vessel of election
and the Preacher of truth in the whole world. Obtain for me, I pray you, lively
faith, firm hope and burning love; complete detachment from myself, contempt of
the world, patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, attention in prayer,
purity of heart, a right intention in all my works, diligence in fulfilling the
duties of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the
will of God and perseverance in the grace of God even unto death; that so, by
means of your intercession and your glorious merits, I may be able to overcome
the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil, and may be made worthy
to appear before the chief and eternal Shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ, who
with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns for endless ages, to enjoy
His presence and love Him forever. Amen. O God, whose right hand raised up
blessed Peter, when he walked upon the water and began to sink, and thrice
delivered his fellow-Apostle Paul from the depths of the sea, when he suffered
shipwreck: graciously hear us and grant, by the merits of them both, that we
also may attain unto everlasting glory: Who lives and reigns world without end.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.