Reflection for June 29, 2025

​Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (C)

Acts 3:1-10 | Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5 | Galatians 1:11-20 | John 21:15-19

​Meeting Jesus really turns your whole life around. It’s more than just a spiritual moment—it’s something that hits deep and changes how you see everything. The readings this weekend for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul all point to one powerful message: when we’re personally transformed, we’re also sent on a mission. Each story shows how just one encounter with Jesus can spark a new purpose and a fresh direction. And it doesn’t stop there—these moments are just the start of a lifelong journey of being shaped by His love and being called to serve others.

There once was a woman named Chin Chin Gutierrez, whose name glittered across movie screens and magazine pages. She walked red carpets, won prestigious awards, and spoke for the Earth when many still took it for granted. She had beauty, intellect, and a cause greater than herself. The world applauded her. But quietly, beneath the lights and applause, God was waiting—not with a microphone, but with whispers. The first interruption came when her house, filled with memories and dreams, went up in flames. Then came the heartbreak of losing her mother. These weren’t punishments; they were invitations. In the middle of success and sorrow, God was stretching out His hand—not for show, but to lift her heart toward something eternal. Chin-Chin once wrestled with doubt. She wondered if God heard, if He even existed. But over time, those quiet interruptions became a voice she could no longer ignore. And like a woman who had begged for answers but now found something better—she rose, walked away from fame, and entered silence. A Carmelite nun now, Sr. Maria Lourdes Gutierrez, she lives not for the applause of the world but for the whisper of God in prayer. God still interrupts lives—not always to take away what we love, but to show us what truly heals. 
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In today’s first reading, a man who had never walked is suddenly healed right outside the temple—just by the name of Jesus. Everyone was stunned, not just because of the miracle, but because it pointed to something bigger. It wasn’t just about his legs—it was about God breaking into his life and turning it around. Sometimes, like the man outside the temple gate, we think we need silver or gold. But God offers us something more: power to rise up and start fresh. We’ve all had moments—an unexpected rescue, a strange sense of peace, a prayer that got answered when we least expected it. Those aren’t just lucky breaks. They’re God trying to get our attention. The name of Jesus still has power to heal and transform. So here’s the real question: are you paying attention? That moment that shook you or made you stop and think—what if that was Jesus calling you? Don’t ignore it—lean in. Let Him lead you somewhere new.

Bob grew up in Manila, where he started using and selling marijuana to fit in. His life quickly spiraled into addiction to shabu, stealing from his family, and being repeatedly jailed. Despite his family’s attempts to help him, Bob’s vices deepened, and he disconnected completely from his faith. But everything changed when he attended an evangelization session with the Neocatechumenal Way. During World Youth Day in 1995, he heard St. Pope John Paul II’s words: “Courage, courage. Do not be afraid,” and it felt like a call to him personally. Soon after, Bob’s legal issues were unexpectedly resolved, and in 1997, he was invited to World Youth Day in Paris. There, he found himself surprisingly in the same room with the Pope he had heard speak a couple of years earlier, and it was there that he felt God’s calling to the priesthood. In 2008, after years of transformation, Bob was ordained a priest. Today, he serves as a parish priest at Santa Monica Parish in Tondo and leads a community-based rehab program for drug dependents. Fr. Roberto Dela Cruz’ life shows that no matter how lost someone may feel, one encounter with Jesus can change everything, offering hope and a new beginning.

In the second reading, Paul talks about how he used to go after Christians—until everything changed when he met Jesus. No one talked him into it, and no one forced him. It was that personal encounter with the risen Christ that flipped his whole life around. That’s what happens when we really meet Jesus—it’s not just about changing habits, it’s about becoming a whole new person. Pride turns into humility, rebellion turns into surrender, and life becomes more about others than just ourselves. Paul’s story proves that no matter what your past looks like, God’s not done with you. In fact, He might be just getting started. Have you had a moment like that with Jesus? If not, ask Him for it. And if you already have—don’t forget, that moment wasn’t the finish line. It was the start of something bigger.

Victor Corpus was a Philippine Military Academy graduate who defected to the New People’s Army in 1970 out of frustration with government corruption. He led a dramatic raid on the PMA armory, turning over weapons to communist rebels. Eventually captured, he spent years in prison where he underwent deep reflection. Realizing armed struggle was not the solution, he renounced his ties with the rebel group. After the 1986 People Power Revolution, he was granted clemency and reinstated into the military. Brig. Gen. Victor Corpus later became chief of the AFP’s intelligence service, proving that even those who fall can rise again to serve the country with renewed purpose.

In today’s Gospel, we witness a deeply personal moment between Jesus and Peter. After denying Jesus three times, Peter doesn’t get scolded—he gets a second chance. Jesus gently asks him three questions, not to shame him, but to heal him—one question of love for each denial. He didn’t bring up Peter’s failure; instead, He invited him to start again. And it’s the same with us. Sometimes we hold back from following Jesus because we’re stuck in guilt or shame over past mistakes. But Jesus doesn’t define us by those moments—He sees who we can become. When He asks, “Do you love me?” He’s not demanding perfection; He’s offering a chance to begin again. Love is all He asks. And when we say yes, that love sends us out—to serve, to lead, and to live with purpose.

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