Dear Parishioners,
Saints Peter and Paul are both interred in [St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome] and forever linked to each other: Peter who holds the keys to the Kingdom, and Paul, the missionary apostle who wrote half the New Testament. But they are an odd couple. At times, they saw the faith differently and advocated for differing approaches to fulfilling our Lord’s commands. Peter, who would forever feel the weight of those Kingdom keys in his hand, felt a pastoral, protective calling to lead the Church to be Christ’s presence in the world. Paul, on the other hand, was more adventuresome, continually following the vision he saw on the road to Damascus, calling him to be the apostle to the Gentiles. (Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19)
Peter and Paul found their strength in God’s love in Christ. Paul said it best to the Corinthians, “Now faith, hope and love abide. But the greatest of these is love.” Today we honor the odd couple of the early Church who led and served, preached and died fully aware that God’s love was the ultimate power in the world. May we go and do likewise.
- Deacon Robert
Rev. Stephen Hook is Pastor of the Pastorate of the Visitation which includes the Catholic Churches of Pasadena, Maryland: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Riviera Beach) and Our Lady of the Chesapeake (Lakeshore). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Rev. John Belinki, Deacon Howard Klohr, and Deacon Rick Clemens. To learn more about our pastorate, please visit www.catholicpasadena.org.
