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As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, we come to the end of the special Year of Saint Paul, which Pope Benedict opened a year ago. Saint Paul is not someone we celebrate just on one day, or for one year. Rather in a special way he is our constant companion, as a number of the inspired writings in the New Testament are his letters. In the solemn inauguration a year ago, Pope Benedict said that ‘we should not ask ourselves only who was Paul? Let us also ask ourselves above all: who is Paul? What does he say to me?’ Saint Paul is an example to us not only as a person of words, but also of action. At the same time, we know that in order to be an example by word and deed, he also must be an example of faith. Pope Benedict referred to Saint Paul’s faith as he continued with his homily: ‘In the Letter to the Galatians, St Paul gives a very personal profession of faith in which he opens his heart to readers of all times and reveals what was the most intimate drive of his life. "I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2: 20). All Paul's actions begin from this centre. His faith is the experience of being loved by Jesus Christ in a very personal way. It is awareness of the fact that Christ did not face death for something anonymous but rather for love of him - of Paul - and that, as the Risen One, he still loves him; in other words, Christ gave himself for him. Paul's faith is being struck by the love of Jesus Christ, a love that overwhelms him to his depths and transforms him. His faith is not a theory, an opinion about God and the world. His faith is the impact of God's love in his heart. Thus, this same faith was love for Jesus Christ.’ The Pope also recalls Jesus’ words to Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’, thereby identifying himself with the Church. In this context the Pope speaks of the Eucharist: ‘In all of this the Eucharistic mystery appears, in which Christ continually gives his Body and makes of us his Body: "The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor 10: 16f). With these words, at this moment, not only Paul addresses us but also the Lord himself: how could you pierce my body? Before the Face of Christ, these words become at the same time an urgent plea: Bring us together from all our divisions. Grant that this may once again become reality today: there is one bread, therefore we, although we are many, are one body. For Paul, the words about the Church as the body of Christ are not just any comparison. They go far beyond a comparison. "Why do you persecute me?". Christ ceaselessly draws us into his body, building his Body from the Eucharistic centre that for Paul is the centre of Christian existence by virtue of which everyone, as also every individual, can experience in a totally personal way: he has loved me and given himself for me.’ The full text of the Pope’s homily can be found on the Vatican website. I conclude this article with the pope’s call to prayer: ‘Let us now thank the Lord for having called Paul, making him the light to the Gentiles and the teacher of us all, and let us pray to him: "Give us even today witnesses of the Resurrection, struck by the impact of your love and able to bring the light of the Gospel in our time.St Paul, pray for us! Amen.’ |