Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

 Lectionary: 279

The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judea
heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God.
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers confronted him, saying,
'You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them."
Peter began and explained it to them step by step....

...When they heard this,
they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,
"God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too."

Internal conflicts have simultaneously afflicted and blessed the Church from Day One. Seeing the Risen Christ, Saint Matthew says, "When they saw him, they worshiped😃, but they doubted😕." And Saint Luke says on a similar occasion, "they were still incredulous 😕 for joy😃 and were amazed" 

It takes more than amazing spectacles to induce faith. We also need rational explanations and historical perspective. "Does this make sense? Does it fit somehow into what we already know?" Granted they were utterly astonished by Jesus unexpected appearances after the grisly horror of his death, they still needed to remember how he had predicted his resurrection, and how the ancient Jewish scriptures had anticipated it since long before they were born. The Evangelists and other New Testament writers went to great lengths to discover and reveal the origins of the Gospel in the Old Testament. 

Today, I understand, the word is narrative. How do the story tellers -- journalists, politicians, preachers, influencers, etc. -- shape the known facts into a persuasive, plausible narrative that agrees more-or-less with what we already know? 

But new developments have to fit the narrative of the Gospel as well, such as Saint Peter's approaching gentiles and baptizing them into the fellowship of Christ. The Christians in Jerusalem, a devoutly conservative Jewish enclave, saw no need to accept aliens into the faith. Perhaps they feared precisely what happened, that the Church would soon become predominantly gentile. It might even become hostile toward Jews, as if God's Chosen People needed more enemies! 

They remembered Jesus' statement, "It's not right to throw the food of children to the dogs!" But they also remembered that he blessed the pagan woman and healed her daughter. Is it possible that God's mercy would include every living human being, and draw every nation into belief in Jesus?

So "Peter began and explained it to them step by step...." 

1. Cornelius's angelic visitation in Caesarea;
2. Peter's corresponding vision in Joppa;
3. The Spirit's instruction to him immediately after the vision:
1. “There are three men here looking for you....”
4. Cornelius's invitation and his journey with him to Caesarea, 
5. where a group of devout gentiles listened to the Gospel; and 
6. the Spirit fell upon the listeners. 
7. His conviction that they should be baptized, 
8. and their joy in being baptism. 

The whole adventure, laced with divine interventions, made sense to Peter. And when the disciples in Jerusalem heard his detailed account (as Saint Luke meticulously recorded both the original events and Peter's recounting them in Acts of the Apostles 11 and 12) they were persuaded. 

When they heard this,

they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,

"God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too."

Who would have thought? 

Today, we hear the Word of God announced in the pulpit, and broadcast onto footpaths, thin soil, weedy patches, and fertile loam. But, if seeing is believing, hearing is not unless the narrative is also accompanied by the Holy Spirit. God's Spirit is manifest at every stage of these incidents in Joppa, Caesarea, and Jerusalem. It was there in the visions and auditions; and also in the reassurance each one felt in their heart. 

As Isaiah the Prophet had promised: 

No longer will your Teacher hide himself,

but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,

And your ears shall hear a word behind you:

“This is the way; walk in it,”

when you would turn to the right or the left. (Is 30:20-21)