Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/852

 you are  not  of  the  world,  the  world  hateth  you”  (John  15,  18.  19). The Church  of  God  is  hated  by  the  world  because  she  is  not  of the  world.

The omniscience  of  our  Lord. He  foretold  to  Peter  what  death  he should  die  (chapter  LXXXII),  and  what  He  foretold  came  to  pass.



The Feast  of  the  holy  Apostles  Peter  and  Paul  is  kept  on  the 29th of  June,  because  on  that  day  both  of  them  glorified  God  by  their martyrdom, and  won  the  crown  of  justice. Peter is  the  chief,  and  Paul is the  greatest  of  the  apostles. The former  is  the  rock  of  the  unity  of the  Church,  the  latter  is  the  representative  of  her  Catholicity. Their blood has  consecrated  Rome,  the  ancient  capital  of  the  pagan  world, to be  the  capital  of  the  Christian  world,  the  mother  and  teacher  of  all churches.

Steadfast faith. The  holy  apostles  were  steadfast  in  faith,  preferring to  suffer  death,  rather  than  deny  their  holy  faith.

The witness  borne  by  the  Apostles  and  martyrs  to  the  truth  of  the Christian  faith. The  holy  apostles  did  not  testify  to  the  truth  of  Christianity by  word  only,  that  is,  by  preaching  and  writing,  but  also  by their  blood,  for  they  joyfully  gave  their  lives  for  the  truth  of  what  they taught, sealing  their  testimony  with  their  blood. In like  manner,  many of their  successors,  Popes,  bishops  and  priests,  especially  in  the  first