The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, the Cross drenched in the blood of the Savior of the world, shook him to such an immeasurable degree that the whole world lost all interest in him. He felt as if he had been crucified together with Christ and said: "... by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ... for me the world is crucified, and I for the world" (Gal. 6:14).

Love for the Lord Jesus Christ so completely possessed him that he said: "... let no man burden me, for I bear the wounds of the Lord Jesus upon my body" (Gal. 6:17).

We do not know whether the wounds of the Savior were really depicted on his hands and feet as authentically as those of the great St. Francis of Assisi. But even if he did not have genuine bloody imprints, then we have no doubt that he felt the wounds and wounds of Christ extremely painfully.

Let us also, together with Blessed Paul, deeply realize and feel the horror of the Cross of Christ.

May not a single day of our life pass without remembering the Cross of Christ and without overshadowing ourselves with it. May we never forget that love for God and neighbor "is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10).

And then the Cross of Christ will be depicted on our hearts, at least to a small extent, just as it burned with heavenly light on the hearts of the great chief Apostles Peter and Paul.

To our God, Who has raised up before the sinful world these lamps of goodness and truth, great thanksgiving, honor and worship forever and ever.

Amen.

1957

HOMILY ON THE FEAST DAY OF THE HOLY CHIEF APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

Who gave the Apostles Peter and Paul the name of chief executives, who exalted them with this name above all the other apostles? Is it not the Church of Christ, which has the power to number the righteous among the saints, to give them the names of great monks and saints, great martyrs, and even great universal teachers and hierarchs?

No, I say, it was not from the Holy Church, but from Jesus Christ Himself that they received the name of chief executives and were exalted above all the other apostles. They received their great name from the Omniscient Son of God, Who knows all human hearts. Listen to the amazing Gospel story about the conversation of Jesus Christ with His apostles: "... Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" And they said, Some for John the Baptist, and some for Elijah, and some for Jeremiah, or for one of the prophets. He said to them, "And who do you say that I am?" And Simon Peter answered, saying, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven; and I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 16:1319).