Today we remember the first leaders of the Church: Peter, the first Pope, and Paul the great preacher and missionary. It is admirable that they were simple workers, but they were fully trusted to become the pioneers of the Church and the evangelization, to give continuity to the mission of Jesus.

When I was assigned in Lucena City, Philipines, I myself experienced to give the keys of a true house to a family who used to live in the squatter areas. Until now, when I share this experience, I get teary eyes because my emotions are overwhelmeing, full of happiness. I can imagine Peter’s overwhelmingness when he received the keys of the Church. In the same way, I have experienced the difficulties of a missionary life, starting by the hindrance of the languages, but he helped me.

In the Gospel of today, taken from Matthew 16, 13-19, Jesus offers us the fundamental question for our lives: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”. He does not like theoretical answers from our mind, but who is He really from our heart, that’s why he insists: “But who do you say that I am?” And the answer of Peter: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” gained the decision of Jesus to make him the leader of the Church; the reply of Jesus to Peter explains to us that the answer is not really from the head, but by revelation: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” And immediately Jesus changed the name of Simon to Peter, meaning ‘stone’, an important stone in the building of the Church; yes, Jesus is the corner stone, but in this gospel we hear the mission of Peter:

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven”. The gospel includes also the institution of the sacrament of reconciliation: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

We find Paul today in the second reading, taken from 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, looking back at what was done and he recognizes his good job “I have competed well; I have finished the race;I have kept the faith”, and, specially the presence of the Lord along his way: “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it”.

Father Palau, many times, expresses his missionary passion too, like Paul: “You have revealed yourself to me, you discover your love to my sight; and my heart, pushed by an indomitable passion, desires to serve you and please you” (MR 9, 7). “I become crazy; that love for you, oh Holy Church, blocks my mind… and because the love believes everything is possible, not looking if there are means of salvation, he kills himself, he ruins himself, he rushes” (MR 9, 29).

Today’s readings are a reminder on the quality of our service and commitment; it is an invitation to renew the passion of our service; it is an opportunity to look back and give thanks to Him, because He never has abandoned us. With Paul we are grateful and recognize his salvation action upon us: “And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.To him be glory forever and ever.  Amen”.