In the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we remember the experience of these messengers of God, Pillars of our ancient faith. The reading from Acts of the Apostles tells us that, ‘…Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the Church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword…and proceeded to arrest Peter also…. Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold the angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, Get up quickly… Dress yourself and put on your sandals…Wrap your cloak round you and follow me…when they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city…and immediately the angel left him…’ (cf Acts 12:1-11).
Beloved people of God, we need more of these liberating angels of the Lord. Indeed, we are all called to be angels of the Lord who do beautiful work for the Lord. Through Prayer, admonition, support and other sacrifices, we wake up one another especially the ‘sleeping’ or weak and tired messengers and children of God. We instruct them to dress up, help them out of trouble, out of danger, out of bondage or imprisonment and lead them into freedom again. Thus comes the realisation and the expression, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting’ (cf Acts 12:11).
As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, let us shine the light into the cell for one another. May we stand by one another so that through us as through the earliest apostles, God’s message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles might hear it. In this way, the Lord will deliver us all from the lion’s mouth, rescue us from every evil deed and bring us safely in his heavenly kingdom.
Fr Ted
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