SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES, JUNE 29, 2021

MASS READINGS

A Reading according to 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

REFLECTION:

"I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith."

Saint Paul is writing his final farewell to all his friends. He is on his way to be judged, and eventually executed in Rome. He knew he had given all for Jesus, and his reward awaited him soon.

In his metaphor, he compares his life's journey to an athletic race.

In such a race, you either give up during its course, or you finish. Win or lose, you cross that finish line.

He tells us how he persevered. And how the crown of righteousness will await for him (after his execution) in Heaven.

We often hear "once saved always saved", but we know this is not true. We all have the capacity to accept and love Jesus. But we can be frustrated, tired, and give in to sin and one way or another lose that closeness with Our Lord.

There is a book called "The Little Flowers", a collection of stories and legends about St. Francis of Assisi and his followers. These were compiled in the early 1300's.

In these writings we can find several examples on how some of the brothers would try to leave the order, stop persevering, and what would happen to them. In one occasion, St. Francis even had a vision of one of the brothers going to hell for falling in the sin of vanity. Only through numerous prayers and tears to Our Lord, St. Francis had the revelation that the other friar would not be condemned, but would die outside the order.

In another occasion, in a monastery, the demons tried to enter, but couldn't because all the friars were righteous. Until one day one of the brothers was offended by another, and thus rancor entered his heart. From there the demons invaded the monastery, until the brother confessed his sins, and they were delivered from these demons.

These stories may or not be true. But they help point to us how important prayer for one another is, frequent and sincere confession, and how the gift of perseverance is not a given, but something we need to beg for every single day of our lives for us, and for others.

St. Alphonsus, our Patron, has gifted us with a beautiful prayer to obtain final perseverance. Let us pray and meditate on it, because by ourselves, we cannot obtain our own salvation:

Eternal Father, I humbly adore Thee, and thank Thee for having created me, and for having redeemed me through Jesus Christ. I thank Thee most sincerely for having made me a Christian, by giving me the true faith, and by adopting me as Thy son, in the sacrament of baptism. I thank Thee for having, after the numberless sins I had committed, waited for my repentance, and for having pardoned (as I humbly hope) all the offences which I have offered to Thee, and for which I am now sincerely sorry, because they have been displeasing to Thee, who art infinite goodness. I thank Thee for having preserved me from so many relapses, of which I would have been guilty if Thou hadst not protected me. But my enemies still continue, and will continue till death, to combat against me, and to endeavor to make me their slave. If Thou dost not constantly guard and succor me with thy aid, I, a miserable creature, shall return to sin, and shall certainly lose Thy grace. I beseech Thee, then, for the love of Jesus Christ, to grant me holy perseverance unto death. Jesus, Thy Son, has promised that Thou wilt grant whatsoever we ask in his name. Through the merits, then, of Jesus Christ, I beg, for myself and for all the just, the grace never again to be separated from Thy love, but to love Thee forever, in time and eternity. Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me. 
~ St. Alphonsus Ligouri

God bless y'all!