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.

©Totus Tuus 2026
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica