UNLIKELY BEDFELLOWS

Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles
Mt 16:13-19

Sts. Peter and Paul were unlikely bedfellows. They were like two opposite forces. But they were not necessarily opposing each other. On the contrary, they complemented each other very well.

Peter maintained tradition while Paul symbolized a driving force to adapt and expand the Gospel to as far as he could go. Peter was the centripetal force that sought for the center while Paul was the centrifugal force that reached out to various cultures. They represented two complementary aspects of the Church.

The Church must always remain rooted in the tradition of the Apostles even as it must continue reaching out to all peoples. Without the centripetal force symbolized by Peter, the Church will become fragmented. Without the centrifugal drive of Paul, the Church will not become anything but a Jewish sect in Jerusalem.

Because we are the Church, what is true of the Church is true of our spiritual lives. We must hold on to the center, to the core of our faith: relationship with Christ. This relationship is the rock that fastens all the changes in our life brought about by sincere desire to respond to the needs and signs of the modern world. Like Paul, we also need to expand our horizon and inculturate the Faith.

Peter and Paul are two pillars of the Church. They were not the same but the Church stands firmly upon them until today.