By Olivia Obijiaku
Parishioners of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Samaru Zaria have been urged to emulate Saints Peter and Paul, who rendered selfless service for the sake of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Giving the charge in the parish on the Solemnity of the Saints, Monday, June 29, 2026, Rev. Fr. Dan’asabe Jibo explained that the two promoters of the Gospel, whom he described as two great blocks that form part of the foundation of the Church, abandoned everything and followed the path of the Lord.
The priest taught that solemnities are the highest form of feasts in the Church and that those who are celebrated on solemnities, including Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, and Peter and Paul, contributed a lot to the history of “our salvation.” He prayed that for the grace to contribute to the growth of the Church and the propagation of the faith.
The clergyman continued, “So today, as we celebrate them, we are called to learn the life of selfless service and sacrifice from Saints Peter and Paul. When they were called by Jesus Himself, they abandoned everything they were doing. Peter was well advanced in age than Jesus Christ. But when Jesus called him, he abandoned everything and followed Him. He became the rock upon which Christ would build His own Church.”
“Paul was not one of the apostles of Jesus. But when he received the call, he stood firm and worked for Christ. When he was called by Christ Himself, he assumed that position and became a part of the apostles. Almost half of the New Testament was written by him, though some by his followers. Paul was a radical believer and when Peter tried to compromise, he would tell him, ‘this is not right. If you are standing for the Truth, stand for the Truth!”
“They played a very important role in spreading the Gospel of Jesus, that today, the Church has recognized them for what they have done. Though at a point, Peter tried going back to his work of fishing, Jesus did not allow Him to backslide from the plans He had for him. He made him the rock and lived the life that He wanted him to live. So, they gave themselves completely, despite their human weaknesses.”
