Feeling unqualified? Solemnity of Saint Peter and Paul

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I feel deeply honoured and privileged to stand before you this morning to share this homily—especially on a day as significant as today, when we honour two of the most important saints of our Church: Saints Peter and Paul.

When Fr. Max first asked me to give this reflection, I honestly thought, “He must be a little crazy.”[1] I mean, what could I possibly offer? “I felt honored, but also completely unqualified.” I’m not a theologian, and I’ve only just begun to know this community. But here I am, standing before you—because sometimes, when God calls, all He asks is that we say “yes,” not that we feel ready.

Sometimes, when God calls, all He asks is that we say “yes,” not that we feel “ready”.

And maybe that’s a perfect starting point for today’s feast—the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Two pillars of our Church. Two very different men, from very different backgrounds. Peter, a fisherman—often impulsive, often unsure. Paul, a former persecutor of Christians—intellectual, bold, and stubborn. Neither was perfect. But both were willing.

Today’s readings invite us to reflect not on their perfection, but on their faithfulness. In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter is in prison, chained between guards. And while the Church prays fervently for him, God sends an angel to break his chains and lead him to freedom. At first, Peter doesn’t even believe it’s real. He thinks he’s dreaming. Only afterward does he realize what God has done.

That really spoke to me: Because I’ve had moments like that too—where it’s only in looking back that I can say, “Yes, God was there.”

I remember moving from Uganda to Kenya in 2012, grieving the loss of my father. I was just 24, from a small rural town, suddenly alone in a busy city. And yet, strangers stepped in to help. When I was a student in Ethiopia and a friend and I were harassed by a group of drunk boys, it was one among them—perhaps moved by something deeper—who stood up for us and made the others walk away. Again, a stranger helped.

And when I came to the US, and now here in Germany, I’ve been welcomed into communities where people offered kindness not in grand gestures, but in simple, quiet acts—like sharing a meal, offering a listening ear, or giving their time and presence.

In all these moments, I didn’t always recognize God’s hand right away. But like Peter, I came to see: the Lord had been with me. And like Paul says in today’s second reading, “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.”

Saint Peter and Paul remind us that we don’t need to be perfect. We just need to be open, willing and faithful. Because God can do a lot with a heart that says, “Here I am.”

I believe that’s our calling too. To live with open hearts. To recognize that we are not alone—not in our struggles, not in our faith, and not in our longing for justice and peace.

Even in the ordinary things—preparing for Mass, sharing a Sunday meal, going strawberry picking or just being present at a game night—we are already participating in God’s work. So what if we made that participation more intentional? What if we made every encounter a safe space—especially for those we disagree with, or don’t understand?

 

That’s the radical love Peter and Paul came to embody. Not a love that categorizes or excludes, but a love that dares to welcome, to forgive, to invite others to the table.

I’m grateful to be part of this KSG community in Berlin. The meals, the friendships, the laughter, and even the quiet moments of presence—they remind me that the Church is alive. That even in a world where politicians stir up fear and division, God is still working—through each of us.

So today, as we honour Saints Peter and Paul, I invite us to remember their legacy: bold, imperfect, but faithful love. And I invite us to pray—especially for all who are at the frontlines of violence and suffering, whether in Ethiopia, Germany, Israel, Iran, Kenya, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan, Ukraine, the United States, or anywhere in the world. That in their sorrow and sadness, God is there, with them. We are called to be „Saints“:  not perfect, but diverse and longing to realize our vocation to be witnesses of God’s love!

May we be people of prayer, People of presence, People of peace. And with Paul, may we say with trust: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”