Vigils Reading – SS Peter & Paul

THE CHURCH BUILD UPON

THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

From a sermon by St Maximus the Confessor7

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Since all the most blessed apostles obtain a like reward of sanctity with

the Lord, I do not know by what consideration Peter and Paul, nevertheless,

appear to excel in a certain virtue of faith; which fact, in truth, we can prove

from the judgment of the Lord Himself. For to Peter, as to a good steward, He

gave the key to the heavenly Kingdom; on Paul, as an apt teacher, He enjoins

the teaching office of the Church, so that those whom the latter instructs unto

salvation, the former receives into their reward, and to the souls of those whose

hearts Paul enlightens by the word of teaching, Peter opens the realm of heaven.

In a way Paul, too, received the key of knowledge from Christ. For that must be

called a key by which the hard hearts of sinners are unbolted to belief, the

secrets of minds are revealed, and whatever is kept enclosed within is brought

forth plainly by a reasonable manifestation. That is a key, I say, which, on the

one hand, opens the conscience to the confession of its sin, and, on the other,

makes fast unto eternity the grace of the saving mystery.

Consequently, both men received keys from their Lord: the latter (Paul)

the key of knowledge, the former (Peter) the key of power; the former bestows

the riches of an immortal life; the latter grants the treasures of knowledge. For

there are treasures of knowledge, as it is written: “In whom are hidden all the

treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Hence, the blessed Peter and Paul stand

out above all the apostles and supersede them by a certain, peculiar prerogative.

But between these two it is uncertain who is to be placed first. I think they are

equal in merits, for they were equal in their suffering…

Accordingly, I believe, the day was decreed for their merit; the place, for

their glory; the persecutor, for their virtue. Yet where did they finally suffer

martyrdom? In the city of Rome which stands as the prince and head of nations,

so that there, where the source of superstition was, the source of sanctity should

repose; and where the rulers of the nations were dwelling, there the princes of

the Church should stay. Of what merit the Blessed Peter and Paul might be, we

can comprehend from this, that while our Lord glorified the region of the Orient

by His own Passion, He deigned to make bright the land of the Occident (lest it

should be of lesser account) in its turn by the blood of the Apostles, and, while

His own Passion served us for salvation, He held forth their martyrdom as an

example.

7 LITURGICAL READINGS, Compiled at St Meinrad’s Abbey (St Meinrad, IN 1943) pp. 400-

401.14