Reflection on the Gospel – Sunday, June 29, 2025

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings.

Another Sunday in Ordinary Time—and once again, it turns out to be not so ordinary. This time, the liturgy celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, apostles. And if I may say so, real “giants” of the faith. We could even say that, though they followed very different paths, they both reached the same destination. One—a chosen apostle who failed and later repented. The other—a fierce persecutor who was completely transformed after encountering Christ. God’s ways are mysterious indeed. Through their lives and their sacrifices, we learn the value of faith and what it means to witness to Christ with courage. They gave up everything to follow Jesus and stayed faithful to their mission—despite persecution…

Like Peter and Paul, each one of us is unique, and we are called to live out the same faith according to our own personality, convictions, and way of loving God and others. The Christian faith is one and the same for all, of course. But the way we live and express that faith is always deeply personal and non-transferable—even though we profess it within the same Church and community. Each of us has our own personal mission.

This Sunday’s readings begin with a story of persecution, in the Acts of the Apostles. Peter’s imprisonment and miraculous release invite us to reflect on the many different ways God has acted—and still acts—in our lives. There are many, and they vary a lot. Maybe not through an archangel, like with the Virgin Mary, but often through people who take on that angelic role. I remember the first time we traveled from Krasnoyarsk, in Siberia, to Moscow back in 1997. A friend met us in the capital, welcomed us into his home, showed us around Red Square, and then took us to the airport for our flight to Madrid. A true angel.

For Peter, that angel opened the prison doors and allowed him to carry on with his mission—no matter what. For the Christians being persecuted in Luke’s time, this was incredibly encouraging. It showed them that it’s possible to stay faithful through trials—just as Peter and the other apostles did.

We’re also reminded that God never abandons those who risk their lives for the Gospel. Peter understood this when he said: “The Lord has sent his angel to rescue me from Herod’s hands and from what the Jewish people were expecting.” That angel worked an even greater miracle when Peter and Paul faced martyrdom—he freed them from the fear of giving their lives for Christ. That’s the miracle God wants to work in every true disciple: to set us free from the chains that hold us back from running the path Jesus laid out for us.

Paul expresses this acceptance of his destiny in today’s second reading: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.” His whole life was one big adventure—some moments joyful, many painful, even life-threatening. That same relentless drive he once used to persecute the Church was now poured into preaching the Gospel, ever since he met Christ on the road to Damascus. Against all odds. And in the final summary of his mission, Paul’s deep faith becomes a personal invitation for us to live more fully in line with what we believe—even when it’s hard. And we know: it was very hard for him.

And we finish this reflection on today’s readings with the Gospel. Jesus asks: “Who do you say I am?” Let’s set aside the context for a moment and ask ourselves that same question: Who is Jesus of Nazareth for me? Let’s forget what others say, and even what we once learned in catechism. Let’s go deep into our hearts and, alone with ourselves, calmly and honestly ask: “Who is Jesus for me? How much does my faith in Him shape and guide the way I live?” If the answer comes not from anything we’ve heard or read, but from the Father in heaven, then that’s the greatest gift we could offer Saints Peter and Paul on their feast day.

Let’s remember: the saints aren’t there just to be admired on their altars. They’re there to teach us how to live—how to live our everyday lives as Christians. To help us say to the Lord, like Peter did, “Lord, you know that I love you”—even when our actions don’t always show it. And to give what’s needed, even when the mission we were given from our mother’s womb asks more of us than we think we can give.

The saints are there to inspire us, to strengthen us, and to show us that yes, it’s hard for human beings—but for God, nothing is impossible. And today’s saints—Peter and Paul—are two great men of faith. Standing in their shadow does us good. Like the lame man at the Beautiful Gate in Jerusalem, may Peter lift us from our paralysis. And may Paul, with all the unstoppable energy of his spirit, push us—if needed—so we can walk the straight road toward heaven alongside Christ.

Your brother in faith,