Opening of the Year of St. Paul
Evening Prayer
Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
29 June 2008

Readings:
Acts 12:1-11
[Psalm 34:2-9]
II Timothy 4:6-8,17-18
Mt. 16:13-19

Beloved in Christ,

We gather in prayer on this Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.  Peter is hailed as the Prince of the Apostles.  Paul is renowned as the Apostle of the Gentiles.  After lives of tireless effort in the service of the Gospel, they both bore the ultimate witness to the faith with a martyrs’ death.

Paul met his death by the sword.  Peter died by crucifixion, but upside down.  He did not deem himself worthy to die upright on the cross as his master Jesus Christ had done.

This feast has great significance in the life of our Church.  It is the occasion when the Holy Father imposes the Pallium upon the newly appointed Archbishops from around the world.

I recall with lasting and treasured memories this occasion, four years ago, when I myself received the Pallium from the hands of Pope John Paul II, of happy and blessed memory.

The preface from the Mass for this Solemnity offers us an apt reflection on this day.  It says:  “Father all-powerful and ever-living God…you fill our hearts with joy as we honour your great apostles: Peter, our leader in the faith and Paul, its fearless preacher.  Peter raised up the Church from the faithful flock of Israel.  Paul brought your call to the nations and became the teacher of the world.  Each in his chosen way gathered into unity the one family of Christ.  Both shared a martyr’s death and are praised throughout the world.”

So we too gather with the church throughout the world to mark this Solemnity.

Now on this particular occasion we gather for a very special reason.  Today, with the entire Church, we gather to mark the opening of a Special Jubilee Year dedicated to St. Paul.  Announcing this event one year ago, Pope Benedict XVI said:  “I am pleased to announce…a Special Jubilee Year to the Apostle Paul from June 28th, 2008 to June 29th, 2009.  On the occasion of the bimillenium of his birth, which historians have placed between the years A.D. 7 and 10.”

This year-long event is to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of St. Paul.

The Year was opened yesterday with Solemn Vespers at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.  It was presided over by the Holy Father along with the current Patriarch of the Orthodox Church. The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is where the Apostle Paul is buried. 

After Jesus, St. Paul is the most significant figure in the New Testament.  Of its 27 Books, 13 are letters attributed to St. Paul.  More than half of the Acts of the Apostles is devoted to the apostolic activities of St. Paul as he sought to spread the Gospel.  Indeed the story of his conversion is recorded there three times.  (Acts 9:1-20, Acts 22:1-22, Acts 26:1-24)

This is certainly a Year of Grace for us all.  Throughout the course of the year we will seek to underline the significance of St. Paul and his contribution to the entire deposit of faith.

The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, though it falls on a Sunday next January 25th will, by special permission, still be observed and not be superceded by the Sunday as is the usual custom. 

Our Lenten Scripture Talks next year will be on the life and letters of St. Paul.  Our Island-Wide Mission will have a Pauline theme as well.  In addition, we are arranging for other opportunities for us to learn more about St. Paul by way of lecture presentations.  We will conclude this year-long observance with a liturgy here at the Cathedral just as we have begun it here.

As we begin this Pauline Year in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, we recall that St. Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, that is, to the nations.  We recall too that he is the apostle of the most profound conversion.

He began his public life as a strident enemy of the faith.  By his actions he sought to destroy the young Church, yet…
“In a blinding flash of light the Risen Lord penetrated the inmost being of Saul – henceforth to be known as Paul – shattering his resistance, causing a complete change of mind and heart, that led him to be a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ.” (Bishop M. Saltarelli, “Pastoral Letter on the Year of St. Paul” Origins)

Because of this deep conversion experience, St. Paul understood how sin works in human nature, how it poisons the human heart and perverts the will.  Paul understood how the Holy Spirit could completely transform habits of corruption.

There is so much that we can learn from St. Paul.  Perhaps the best way we can celebrate this Year of St. Paul is to turn to the Risen Lord in prayer and ask Him what deep and intimate conversion of life He is calling us to now as he once did to St. Paul.

Let us open our hearts to the Risen One’s response by adopting the spirit of Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”

Of course, this is the time to commit ourselves to reading the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of St. Paul in their entirety.  With the guidance of your pastors and the aid of a good commentary this could be a most spiritually enriching experience to engage in this year.

This is a good year to learn or perfect that ancient art of praying with the scriptures which we call lectio divina.  Be bold enough to learn about what Paul understood as the Power of the Cross of Christ. 

Unlike St. Peter, but like ourselves, Paul did not know the historical Jesus in the flesh.  He knew only the Risen Lord, as we do.  The presence of the Risen One is preserved for us, pure and undefiled, without spot or wrinkle – in the Blessed Sacrament.  So may this be a year for us to deepen our appreciation of the Eucharist.  May we always receive it worthily.  And in receiving it, may we seek to become more perfectly what we have received – the Body of Christ.

Finally, let us all seek the intercession of St. Paul so as to be, by word and example, more credible ministers of the Gospel.  Let us seek to respond more credibly to the call to holiness.  Let me share with you the words of a hymn commissioned for this occasion.

O CHRIST, YOUR CHOSEN VESSEL

O Christ, your chosen vessel
Did carry forth your name
In mission to all people
The Gospel to proclaim.
He preached with grace resounding,
Becoming all to all,
And we with praise abounding
In thanks acclaim Saint Paul.

Apostle to the nations,
Although in speech unskilled,
He laid the strong foundations
So others then could build.
His call for no division,
To seek the things above,
Has given us the vision:
One body bound by love.

If one part comes to suffer,
The other feels the pain,
If one receives an honor,
We all the joy obtain.
The parts were thus intended-
Together to be one.
All strife should then be ended
In you, the Father’s Son.

To you, with God the Father,
And Spirit, ever one,
We give with Paul our brother
The praise for marvels done.
Conformed in imitation,
May we from factions cease
And spread with jubilation
His words of grace and peace. (MAGNIFICAT, June 2008)