Weekly Mass Discussion Thread #43 | Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, External Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul

So for those who missed it @Raphael-Ambrosius-Costeau (RIP) said he's leaving because we suck and since I'm probably the most user left I volunteered to take over. I'll try to put more effort into including some historical fun facts and invite you all to deepen your interest and devotion to Holy Mother Church.

Our daily readings can be found on the USCCB website, and are Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24, Psalm 30, 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15, Mark 5:21-43

Since the miraculous healings and resurrection of a child speak to the power of God without further exposition, I will instead focus on the Church Fathers and martyrs of the faith, Ss. Peter and Paul. Bishop Barron's Sunday sermons are more poignant than anything I could write anyway:

Today is officially the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time and as it falls the day after the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul it is considered an external solemnity which may be honored in your local parish at the discretion of the priest. In America I know my local parish does so but here where we went this morning the homily focused on the miracles and mercy of Our Lord from the daily passage in Mark 5.

In the old Tridentine liturgical calendar the 30th of June was feast to the 4th century martyrs Ss. John and Paul (not the apostles) whose memory have largely faded from the modern Catholic consciousness. Their lives are recorded in Acts of Ss. John and Paul for which I can not locate an English translation online but you can read a summary either here or in the Catholic Encyclopedia here. I find the Roman era of the Church generally fascinating and have developed a passion for reading hagiographies so I thought I'd give them a shout out.

Ss. John and Paul, let us never forget your sacrifice, pray for us to attain the faith of our martyrs.

So all Christians are well aware of the significance of St. Peter, Leader of the Apostles, and of St. Paul, our most significant theologian. However, in recent years the rise of "religious studies" departments have broadly called into question the veracity of our Sacred Traditions. St. Peter was famously crucified on an upside down cross, deeming himself unworthy of sharing the death of Christ (much to the chagrin of would-be edgy teens and ) and St. Paul was beheaded during the Neronian persecution following a fire that spread throughout the city. But is this true?

I submit to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the following attestations from our Church Fathers:

But not to dwell upon ancient examples, let us come to the most recent spiritual heroes. Let us take the noble examples furnished in our own generation. Through envy and jealousy the greatest and most righteous pillars [of the church] have been persecuted and put to death. Let us set before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours; and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience.

First Epistle of St. Pope Clement I to the Corinthians ~70 AD

I know both who I am, and to whom I write. I am a condemned man, you have been the objects of mercy; I am subject to danger, you are established in safety. You are the persons through whom those pass that are cut off for the sake of God. You are initiated into the mysteries of the Gospel with Paul, the holy, the martyred, the deservedly most happy, at whose feet may I be found, when I shall attain to God; who in all his Epistles makes mention of you in Christ Jesus.

Epistle of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Ephesians c. 98-117 AD

These accountings are further affirmed by the second century theologian Tertullian and recounted by Eusebius in his 4th century Church History:

And that they both suffered martyrdom at the same time is stated by Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, in his epistle to the Romans, in the following words: You have thus by such an admonition bound together the planting of Peter and of Paul at Rome and Corinth. For both of them planted and likewise taught us in our Corinth. And they taught together in like manner in Italy, and suffered martyrdom at the same time. I have quoted these things in order that the truth of the history might be still more confirmed.

It is thus with great confidence that I proclaim the historicity of our Catholic Tradition. Let us all dwell on the contributions, trials, and sufferings of these great and truly Holy men.

Please pray with me:

Grant, we pray, O Lord our God, that we may be sustained by the intercession of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, that, as through them you gave your Church the foundations of her heavenly office, so through them you may help her to eternal salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles, and Ss. John and Paul the Martyrs, pray for us that we may live out the truth of the Gospel and walk in a path modelled and shaped by the perfection of Christ. Amen.

!Catholics !Christians