{"id":11289,"date":"2012-05-07T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2012-05-07T16:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=11289"},"modified":"2015-03-19T15:27:50","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T22:27:50","slug":"its-all-you-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2012\/05\/07\/its-all-you-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Lectionary: It’s all you need"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sixth Sunday of Easter: 13th May, 2012<\/h2>\n

The Readings this week start to wrap up our Easter Season prior to the Feasts of Ascension and Pentecost.<\/p>\n

In the First Reading we read about that great moment in Church History when the first Gentiles received baptism and entered the Church.\u00a0In our Second Reading, we conclude our study of St. John’s First Epistle by hearing about the love of God. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus unpacks His teaching concerning His metaphor of “the vine and the branches”\u00a0<\/em> which we heard last week.<\/p>\n

As we come to the Eucharistic table this week let us come with thankful hearts. God’s love is so great that He came to redeem us, call us His friends,\u00a0pour His Spirit into our hearts and make\u00a0us members of His family.<\/p>\n

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Reading I: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48<\/h3>\n

Our First Reading this week marks an important moment in the life of the Church. In AD 40, about ten years after the Ascension of Christ, the first Gentiles entered the Church.<\/p>\n

St. Paul is rightly called “The Apostle to the Gentiles”<\/span><\/em>, but St. Paul was not actually the first person to bring Gentiles into the Church. That honour belonged to the Prince of the Apostles, St. Peter.<\/p>\n

I don’t really like the way the Lectionary has edited this Reading, missing out important chunks of the narrative. Please allow me to retell the story, filling in the gaps:<\/p>\n

Earlier in Acts we are told about the visions received by St. Peter and Cornelius.\u00a0As a result of these visions, Peter comes to Cornelius’ house. He is greeted by Cornelius and, after correcting his excess homage, enters the Gentile’s house.<\/p>\n

Peter tells Cornelius that Jews would not normally be “associated with or visit a Gentile”<\/span><\/em>, but that God had shown him that he “should not call anyone impure or unclean”<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n

He asks Cornelius why he sent for him. Cornelius tells him about his vision. Amazed, Peter responds by preaching the Good News, proclaiming the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While preaching, the Holy Spirit falls on all those Gentiles gathered and they begin to speak in tongues.<\/p>\n

Seeing this, Peter asks\u00a0“Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?”<\/span>. <\/em>He then gives orders for them to be baptized, thereby welcoming the first Gentiles into the Church.<\/p>\n

Okay, here’s the Lectionary text:<\/p>\n

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.”\u00a0<\/span><\/em>…<\/span><\/p>\n

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”\u00a0<\/span><\/em>…<\/span><\/p>\n

While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?” He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Questions:<\/p>\n