Apolytikion of the feast of Saints Peter & Paul

May 01, 2010 by Fr Luke Palumbis

“First in prominence among the Apostles, and teachers to the Universe, intercede to the Master of all for peace in the world and for our souls great mercy.”

Apolytikion of the feast of Saints Peter & Paul

Christ is Risen!

In the above hymn, we ask Saints Peter and Paul to continue the ministry they dedicated their lives to when they were alive 2000 years ago — to help bring peace into the world. Despite mass conflict, both internal and external to their camps, violence, and even their own martyrdoms, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul brought the tremendous experience of authentic peace into the world, by bringing the world authentic knowledge and experience of God. Peace is commonly misunderstood as experience absent of conflict, however, an authentic Christian understanding of peace, simply refers to experience and presence of the Lord.

Saint Peter shepherded the ministry of bringing the most authentic understanding and experience of God to the Jews, as Saint Paul embarked upon the same minis- try to the Gentiles. Through their efforts, and lives of holiness, the Holy Spirit grew the experience of God in their time and throughout the previous 2000 years of the Church’s history. Today, we continue to ask Saints Peter and Paul to bring the experience and presence of God into our lives through their saintly prayers and intercessions on our behalf.

Although we continually ask for, and rely upon, the intercession of the Saints in our journey for authentic peace and sanctification, we must also follow in their footsteps and actively dedicate ourselves to the bringing of peace — that is, the active lifestyle of rejoicing and sharing in the Lord of God in this world. With this focus in daily life, we continue the work of Saints Peter and Paul, perhaps not as Apostles sent forth to preach the Word of God, but as parents, children, employ- ees, bosses, students, friends, etc. . . all living apostolic lives, in that we share the Good News of God’s unending love with the world around us through the example of our own pilgrimage of faith.

As the Church prepares to celebrate the lives and ministries of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29, the faithful are called to greater focus through heightened disci- pline during the Apostles Fast, which begins May 31. Allow this focus and disci- pline to direct your daily life to the journey and quest for peace in the world. Christ has breathed upon us in the Eucharist, and peace has come upon us, let us now follow the example of the Apostles and share it with the world — beginning around our own dinner table, then extending to the world around us.
Peace be with you. And with your spirit.

+ Fr. Luke Palumbis