Jun 29 – Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, apostles
Peter (c.1–64) was a professional fisherman. He was the brother of St. Andrew the Apostle, the man who led him to Christ. Given the name Simon, he was renamed “Peter” (rock) by Jesus to indicate that Peter would be the rock-like foundation on which the Church would be built. He later became a bishop and was the first pope. He was also a miracle worker.
Paul (c.3–c.65) was a Jewish Talmudic student and a Pharisee. He was a tent-maker by trade. Saul the Jew hated and persecuted the Christians as heretical, even assisting at the stoning of St. Stephen the Martyr. On his way to Damascus, Syria, to arrest another group of faithful, he was knocked to the ground, struck blind by a heavenly light, and given the message that in persecuting him, causing his conversion to Christianity.
He was baptized, changed his name to Paul to reflect his new persona, and began travelling, preaching, and teaching. His letters to the churches he helped found form a large percentage of the New Testament. He knew and worked with many of the earliest saints and Fathers of the Church. He died a martyr for the faith.
- Patron Saint Index
Acts 12:1-11
2 Tim 4:6-8,17-18
Mt 16:13-19
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven”
Can you imagine that? A fisherman being given the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. I don’t know about you, but I am extremely particular about who gets keys to places I have access to. At our centre (which has many, many doors and access points), we have a list of who holds which set of keys to which area. In some cases, more than one person is registered to hold a certain set of keys. Conversely, one person can hold multiple sets of keys. It is evident that keys have the ‘power’ to lock or unlock areas that are considered ‘out of bounds’ to others.
At a recent strategic planning meeting, a topic that came up centred around planning for upcoming retreats and vigils at our centre. As usual, there was a concern on whether we had enough ministry members (aka – manpower) to run what was being planned for the rest of the year. There had been feedback/concerns about possible burnout and the usual fears/anxieties of ministry members asked to lead prayer and some sessions that were open to the public.
On a more personal front, my 84-year-old mother (bless her heart) recently committed to buying a brand new car. If you live in Singapore, you would know that unless you earn a decent salary, buying a car is a luxury here, simply because of the astronomical cost involved. Suffice to say that it has taken me a while to process this and to prepare for the financial implications of her decision. When I eventually went to the showroom to test drive the car (which comes with the requisite bells and whistles), I found it interesting that there was an auto lock/unlock feature where as long as one has the key in their pocket, the doors would unlock/lock as you approach or walk away from the car.
Brothers and sisters, we are constantly faced with situations where we may (knowingly or unknowingly) possess the ‘keys’ to create opportunities for others. For those in leadership positions, we sometimes worry about outcomes and KPIs so much that we lean on those under us who are tried and tested, or worse, take on everything ourselves. Why? Because we know that the outcomes will be met. So, in order to ensure that the outcome is ‘locked in’, we create a situation where burnout becomes inevitable.
And in everyday life, when we encounter situations that are unpleasant or not in our favour, we walk away or flee and ‘lock away’ opportunities for creativity or discussions that may actually ‘unlock’ and reveal certain blind spots we ourselves may not have envisioned.
I believe that when Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, it was not to lock in all that is good within us. I think He did so to help us unlock/reveal the potential and good in those around us – whether at work, at home or in ministry – so that we, in turn, begin to slowly unlock our talents/gifts/charisms that we may not be aware of.
So let us be more aware of how we actually possess the abilities to help others unlock their true potential…by simply being more open and receptive to ideas/opinions/feedback that we give and receive. And by unlocking the doors in our hearts that we may have closed over time.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Desmond Soon)
Prayer: St Peter, help me to unlock my heart and be open to the possibilities that others I encounter may provide. Help me to be faithful to your calling so that the potential of others can be unlocked through my words and deeds.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for those who are in positions of power and who are teachers, mentors or coaches.
OXYGEN 
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