Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Novena to the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul ( June 29 )
Holy Apostles Peter and Paul , I choose you this day and forever to be my special patrons and advocates , you blessed Saint Peter - Prince of the Apostles , because you are the Rock upon the Almighty God has build His Holy Church ; you blessed Saint Paul , because you were fore chosen by God as vessel of election and preacher of the truth to the whole world .
Obtain for me , I humbly 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 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 , so that by the means of your intercession and your glorious merits , I might be able to overcome the evil and I be made worthy of the Promises of Christ , enjoy His Presence and love Him forever in time and eternity .
Our Father , Hail Mary , Glory Be . Amen
June 29 th the Holy Church commemorates the martyrdom of the two great Apostles, assigned by tradition to the same day of June in the year 67. They had been imprisoned in the famous Prison of Rome and both had foreseen their approaching death. Saint Peter was crucified; Saint Paul, a Roman citizen, was slain by the sword.
The two great Apostles, Peter and Paul are the solid rock on which the Church is built. They are at the origin of her faith and will forever remain her protectors and her guides.
~Saint Peter the Apostle~
All Scripture is alive with Saint Peter; his name appears no fewer than 160 times in the New Testament. But it is after Pentecost that he stands out in the full grandeur of his office. He sees to the replacement of the fallen disciple; he admits the Jews by thousands into the fold and in the person of Cornelius, opens it to the Gentiles; he founds and for a time rules the Church at Antioch.
Saint Peter is the author of two profoundly doctrinal epistles. He still lives on in his successors who maintain the same holy and immutable doctrine; he still rules and feeds the flock committed to him. The reality of our devotion to him is the surest test of the purity of our faith.
Saint Peter meeting his brother Simon, Andrew said "We have found the Messias", and brought him to Jesus, who, looking upon him, said: "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter". Already, at this first meeting, the Saviour foretold the change of Simon's name to Cephas (Kephas; Aramaic Kipha, rock), which is translated Petros (Latin, Petrus) proof that Christ had already special views with regard to Simon. Later, probably at the time of his definitive call to the Apostolate with the eleven other Apostles, Jesus actually gave Simon the name of Cephas (Petrus), after which he was usually called Peter, especially by Christ on the solemn occasion after Peter's profession of faith (Matthew 16:18
~Saint Paul the Apostle~
Saint Paul has left to the Church fourteen Epistles, which have been a fountainhead of doctrine, elucidating the most basic truths taught by Christ, and constituting the consolation and delight of her greatest Saints. His interior life, insofar as words can express it, lies open before us in these divine writings; it is the life of one who has died forever to himself, and risen again in Christ Jesus. Saint John Chrysostom, his imitator, wrote: “The heart of Paul is the Heart of Christ!” Nor will his labor cease while the race of man continues. Paul was the creator of theology, the founder of the Holy Church . Through Saint Paul we have seen that fallen man being unable to arise again unaided, in His mercy sent His Son to save him. It is an elementary and often repeated doctrine of St. Paul that Jesus Christ saves us through the Cross, that we are "justified by His blood", that "we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son" (Romans 5:9-10) .
"Thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin, but have obeyed from the heart unto that form of doctrine, into which you have been delivered. . . . But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting (Romans 6:17, 22).
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