by Rev. Edward Correia

The story is told of a city man who was driving in the country. He was taken with the beauty of the country, that he missed the turn in the road and ended up in a ditch. He went to the nearest house. An elderly man came to the door. He explained to the man that his car was in a ditch.

"No problem at all", replied the man. "Dan and I will take care of it".

When the elderly man arrived, the tourist was surprised to see that Dan was a mule. The elderly man tied ropes around the car and onto the mule.

"Up Colonel. Up Jim. Up Sargent". The elderly man cracked his whip. The he said, "Up Dan’. The mule with one movement pulled the car out of the ditch.

Today we celebrate the team of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus. In the end he told Jesus three times that he loved him. Jesus said to him, "You are Peter. Upon this rock, I will build my Church.

Paul was a devout Jew. He imprisoned Christians. One day as he was riding his horse, a lightning struck him to the ground. He heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?".

He understood that he was harming Jesus who was bound to the members of the Church.

Legend says that today Peter and Paul met each other before they were killed for the faith.

That is why we wear red vestments today to remember the blood that was shed.

Peter shows us that we are weak but Jesus still calls us to be church. Paul teaches us that Christ is bound to his people the Church as a head to the body. We are bound to one another.