Why, contrary to the Church’s practice, do we celebrate two saints on a Sunday, which
is the “Lord’s Day”? In celebrating this feast, the Church recalls St. Peter and St. Paul
not to divert our attention from Christ but to confirm our own relation to Christ. This feast
commemorates the following of the apostles to Christ even to martyrdom.
The Book of Revelation identifies the apostles as “foundations” of the Church: “There
are twelve foundations of the city. And in them, the twelve names of the twelve apostles
of the Lamb” (Rev 21:14). Although Paul was not one of the Twelve, his zeal for the
Gospel merited him the title of apostle. He introduced himself to the Romans as, “Paul,
a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, which
he had promised before by his prophets, in holy Scriptures, concerning his Son” (Rom
1:1-3).
Jesus announced that he would build his Church on Peter. St. Thomas Aquinas
explains that Jesus is the essential “foundation” of the Church: “Christ, in and of himself,
is the foundation, but Peter is the foundation insofar as he confesses Christ, and insofar
as he is his vicar (Commentary of the Gospel according to Matthew, 16:18).
The authority of the apostles is from Christ: “Christ, in and of himself, is the foundation;
but the Apostles, not in and of themselves but through Christ’s delegation, and through
the authority given them by Christ, are foundations as well … But Peter’s house
especially, which was founded upon the rock, shall not be demolished … This house
can be assaulted, but it cannot be conquered” (Commentary of the Gospel according to
Matthew, 16:18).
The letter to the Ephesians describes the Church, as ‘built upon the foundation of the
apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone…” (Eph
2:20).
St. Thomas points to the teaching of the apostles as a foundation: “Christ is the
foundation and the teaching of the apostles and prophets; after all they proclaimed
Christ alone and not themselves. To accept their doctrine is to accept Christ crucified:
‘We preach crucified’ (1 Cor 1:23)” (Commentary on the Letter to the Ephesians, 127).
Paul affirms: “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16).
The First Letter of Peter asserts: “It was revealed to them that they were not serving
themselves but you, in the things which have been announced to you by those who
preached the good news to you” (1 Pet 1:12).
Thomas explains: “They are referred to as foundations to the degree that their doctrine
proclaims Christ. ‘Upon this rock I will build my Church’” (Commentary of the Gospel
according to Matthew, 16:18).

St Peter and St Paul are examples of living faith in Jesus. Paul writes: “I have fought the
good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). Thomas recalls
Paul’s words in the First Letter to the Corinthians: “I therefore so fight, not as one
beating the air, but I chastise my body and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps when I
have preached to others, I myself become cast away” (1 Cor 9:26).
Thomas considers Paul’s example: “To the extent that there is progress in the good it is
called a course … and it is called a course or a journey to holiness, because they run
swiftly in order to end up better, being prodded by the goad of charity … The struggle
and the journey towards death continued; therefore, he was not finished struggling or
running … Just as a man who begins well and intends to finish has the work complete,
so too the Apostle for he had begun and intended to finish” (Commentary on Second
Timothy, 149).
Thomas recalls Paul’s commitment to Christ and his Gospel: “The good use of God’s
gifts is twofold, namely the preservation of faith; hence, he says, ‘I have kept the faith,
which he does who uses God’s gifts for the glory of God and the salvation of his
neighbor” (Commentary on Second Timothy, 149).
Thomas recalls Jesus words: “Who, do you think, is a faithful and wise servant, whom
the Lord has appointed over his family” (Mt 24:45). Paul had previously written: “He
counted me faithful, putting me in the ministry” (1 Tim 1:12).
Paul speaks of the “crown.” St. Thomas observes: “The crown will be given for charity
alone: ‘he that loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will
manifest myself to him’ (Jn 14:21)” (Commentary on Second Timothy, 153).
Even though Jesus knew that Peter would deny him, he was confident that Peter’s faith
would come through and strengthen others: “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your
faith may not fail. And when you have turned, strengthen your brothers.”” (Lk 22:32).
Thomas comments: “This is not only ascribed to the Church of Peter, but also to the
faith of Peter, and also to the whole western Church. Hence, I believe that the western
faithful ought to have more reverence to Peter than to the other Apostles” (Commentary
of the Gospel according to Matthew, 16”18).
Peter is given the ministry of giving unity: “And I will give to you the keys to the kingdom
of heaven.” Here is related the second gift which Christ, according to his humanity, gave
to Peter. For he founded the Church in the world, and appointed Peter to be his Vicar,
so that Peter might give the Church entrance into heaven, hence, He gave him the
ministry, hence He gave him the keys” (Commentary of the Gospel according to
Matthew, 16:18).

Each of these apostles received great gifts of mercy and grace, which gives us
confidence in Jesus’ mercy. Peter denied Jesus three times but after the Resurrection
Jesus asked the repentant Peter if he loved him and then told him to feed his sheep and
lambs. St Thomas points out: “the final commitment of the Church is given to a humbled
Peter” (Commentary on the Gospel according to John, 2627).
Paul wrote: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God” ( 1 Cor 15:9). And yet by grace, he was
foremost in preaching Christ.
Paul affirms that everyone else abandoned him but “Notwithstanding the Lord stood
with me, and strengthened me (2 Timothy 4:17). Paul was convinced that Christ loved
him, which encourages us to believe in Christ’s love: “For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things
to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-
39).
Paul

Denis Vincent Wiseman, O.P.

References to St. Thomas Aquinas’ Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew are
taken from the translation of Fr. Paul M. Kimball, published by Dolorosa Press in 2012,
pp. 280-296.
References to the Commentaries on the Letter to the Ephesians and the Second Letter
to Timothy are from the Biblical Commentaries of the Aquinas Institute, Lander,
Wyoming