June 30, 2026 Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time / The First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church Gospel: Matthew 8:23-27
Today is Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time. The Church celebrates the memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church. The newly published Roman Missal tells us: The Church celebrates this feast in memory of the martyrs who suffered during the persecution of Nero; in the year 64, a fire destroyed much of Rome, and in the ensuing persecution, Christians from every background were put to death with ingenious cruelty. It was in this very persecution that the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul were killed. Truly, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.
Today’s Mass Gospel is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, in which he recounts the narrative of Jesus rebuking the wind and the sea amidst a storm. I take this opportunity to offer some reflections.
In life, we face various storms; at times, we find ourselves caught in whirlpools. For instance, when our words or actions cause misunderstandings in others, and if this misunderstanding is not promptly clarified but rather amplified into a public incident, we then find ourselves trapped in a vortex of public opinion.
The Church likewise encounters diverse whirlpools—such as recent debates concerning the restoration of the Tridentine Mass, the expansion of roles for women, and the question of vocations. These challenges, compounded by external pressures, confront the Church on many fronts.
When we face these trials alongside the Church, an instinct often arises within us: the notion that we alone must resolve these problems, as though God were absent. Whenever we succumb to this feeling, we resemble the disciples in the boat, unaware of the Lord’s presence. Then, we say in our hearts: “Jesus is sleeping” (cf. Matt 8:24b).
When we realize that our own strength proves insufficient to overcome these present difficulties, what do we do? Perhaps we choose to give up—in contemporary terms, we might “opt out” or disengage. Or perhaps, like the disciples, we approach Jesus and cry out: “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” (cf. Matt 8:25). Yet once the crisis passes, we often set Jesus aside—a manifestation of what Pope Francis calls the “throwaway culture.”
Today, as the Church honors the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church, she invites us to imitate them in our daily lives. May we root our faith firmly in Christ, entrust ourselves wholly to Him, and emulate these first martyrs by courageously carrying out God’s holy will, faithfully fulfilling the unique mission He has entrusted to us.
O God, who consecrated the abundant first fruits of the Roman Church by the blood of the Martyrs, grant, we pray, that with firm courage we may together draw strength from so great a struggle and ever rejoice at the triumph of faithful love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,God, for ever and ever.
June 29, 2026 Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles – Day Mass Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
Today is Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time. The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
The Martyrologium Romanum tells us: St. Peter (+ c.64) was the brother of St. Andrew and a Galilean fisherman. He was called by the Lord and, despite his obvious human weaknesses, eventually became the leader of the Twelve, the ‘rock’ on which the Church was built. After Pentecost, he became particularly associated with Antioch and then Rome. He was crucified under Nero and buried at the Vatican.
St. Paul (+ c.64/67) was a tentmaker from Tarsus (then capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, now in Turkey), a Pharisee and a Roman citizen. He was initially a persecutor of Christians but was converted by the Lord on his way to Damascus. He became the Apostle of the Gentiles, preaching the Gospel to the uncircumcised, reaching Greece, Italy, Malta, and possibly even Spain. He was beheaded along the Via Ostiense and buried nearby, on the site where the basilica bearing his name now stands.
Today’s Mass Gospel is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, recounting an encounter between Jesus and Simon Peter. I take this opportunity to offer some reflections.
At the beginning of today’s Gospel, Saint Matthew tells us that Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The disciples offered various answers: “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (cf. Matt 16:13-14). They gave these answers because they did not yet see Him—or the world as He taught it—through the eyes of faith.
Today, Peter answers on behalf of the Church: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (cf. Matt 16:15-16). This response comes not only from the Father’s revelation but also from Peter’s own lived experience. Recall when Jesus boarded Peter’s boat on the Sea of Galilee and told him to lower the nets after a fruitless night of labor. Peter replied, “Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets” (cf. Luke 5:5). When he obeyed and drew in a miraculous catch, he fell before Jesus saying, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (cf. Luke 5:8). Immediately, he left everything to follow Jesus. Having witnessed Jesus’ deeds, heard His teachings, and seen the two multiplications of the loaves, Peter no longer perceived Jesus through worldly eyes. Gradually, guided by the Holy Spirit, he came to recognize Jesus truly. Thus, when Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (cf. Matt 16:15-16). Speaking on behalf of the Twelve, he boldly professed this faith.
Peter’s journey of faith mirrors our own. God draws us through particular events in our lives—leading us to church, drawing us to His Sacred Heart—constantly enlightening us to discern the vocation He bestows. With the Church’s help, we discern this call. Relying on God’s infinite mercy, we receive Baptism from the hands of a priest, are united to Christ, anointed with the Holy Spirit, and become children of God. St. Paul’s journey differed greatly; once a persecutor of the Church, his encounter with Christ radically altered his path. Making two journeys to Rome, he ultimately bore witness there unto death, leaving us a priceless treasury of teaching.
O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,God, for ever and ever.
June 28, 2026 Evening: Vigil Mass for the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Gospel: John 21:15-19
Today is the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. According to ancient ecclesiastical tradition, this evening we celebrate the Vigil Mass for the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. For pastoral reasons, we offer reflections on both these liturgical celebrations this year.
The Vigil Mass is celebrated either before or after Evening Prayer I of the feast. The Gospel is taken from the Holy Gospel according to John. In fact, we already proclaimed this Gospel on Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter. Yet, reading it today within the context of the Vigil for Saints Peter and Paul imparts a unique spiritual resonance.
In this evening’s Gospel, we witness the Risen Lord Jesus, after His Resurrection and before His Ascension, in His final dialogue with the Apostle Peter. Jesus asks him three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (cf. Jn 21:15a, 16a, 17a). Three times Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” (cf. Jn 21:15b, 16b, 17b). This recalls to mind the profession of faith we made at our Baptism. On that day, before God and in the presence of the Church, we professed: We believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; we believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose again, and now lives in glory; we believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Yet, no sooner do we leave the sacred space of the church and return to secular life than we often cast aside this profession, failing to live according to the teachings of Jesus. The things of this world drive us to pursue its passing goods—money, power, and status—at any cost. In seeking these, we relegate our faith to a secondary place.
Today, the Church, in this Vigil Mass for the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, invites us to contemplate the Risen Lord’s final encounter with Peter. She invites us to reflect anew on the moment of our own encounter with Jesus Christ, to cherish that initial meeting, to re-experience His love for us, and to discern anew the unique vocation He has bestowed upon us. May we then fulfill this calling according to His holy will, living out the love of Christ for the world.
O God, who through the grace of adoption chose us to be children of light, grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
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