Presiding over the Mass on the Solemnity of the pa-tron Saints of the Diocese and City of Rome on 29 June, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to contemplate the two Apostles. Though different in their gifts and approaches, they lived “a fruitful harmony in diver-sity.”
“The history of Peter and Paul shows us that the communion to which the Lord calls us is a unison of voices and personalities that does not eliminate any-one’s freedom. Our patron saints followed different paths, had different ideas and at times argued with one another with evangeli-cal frankness. Yet this did not prevent them from livi-ng the concordia apostolorum, that is, a living communion in the Spirit, a fruitful harmony in diversity.” Re-calling the words of Saint Augustine: “The feast of the two Apostles is cele-brated on one day. They too were one. For although they were martyred on di-fferent days, they were one.”
This communion is ma-de possible by the Spirit, who “unites differences and builds bridges of unity thanks to the rich variety of charisms, gifts and mini-stries.” “It is important that we learn to experience communion in this way – as unity within diversity–so that the various gifts, united in the one confession of faith, may advance the preaching of the Gospel.”
“Let us make an effort, then, to turn our differen-ces into a workshop of uni-ty and communion, of fra-ternity and reconciliation, so that everyone in the Church, each with his or her personal history, may learn to walk side by side. ”
