PREPARATION

I feel that the readings this week are in the same vain as last week. Proving that he has risen, but also moving to response.

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Acts 2.14a; 2.36-41

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.’ 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ 38 Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

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REFLECTION

This reading continues the reading from last week and is Peter talking at the time of Pentecost. Peter goes on to talk about Jesus as Messiah. That which was whispered about because they were afraid of the response, Peter proclaims boldly. Again, he lays Jesus' death at the feet of his listeners. This is a bold act in my books. I am surprised by the listeners response. They do not get angry at Peter or defend the accusation. Instead, they repent and get baptized. I do not believe it was Peter's words that convinced them. I believe it was the Holy Spirit working through their heart for God. This Holy Spirit made it possible to understand Peter. Know that there were those who did not understand and only heard babbling. I believe it was the same Holy Spirit that moved their hearts to believe Peter's words and to repent. 

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Psalm 116.1-4; 116.11-18

1 I love the Lord, because he heard my voice:

the voice of my supplication;

2 Because he inclined his ear to me:

in the day that I called to him.

3 The cords of death encompassed me,

the snares of the grave took hold on me:

I was in anguish and sorrow.

4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord:

‘O Lord, I beseech you, deliver me !’

11 How shall I repay the Lord:

for all his benefits to me?

12 I will take up the cup of salvation:

and call upon the name of the Lord.

13 I will pay my vows to the Lord:

in the presence of all his people.

14 Grievous in the sight of the Lord:

is the death of his faithful ones.

15 O Lord, I am your servant,

your servant and the child of your handmaid:

you have unloosed my bonds.

16 I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving:

and call upon the name of the Lord.

17 I will pay my vows to the Lord:

in the presence of all his people,

18 In the courts of the house of the Lord:

even in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

 

 

1 Peter 1.13-25

13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed.
14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance.
15 Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct;
16 for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’
17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile.
18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
20 He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake.
21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart.
23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
24 For
‘All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures for ever. ’That word is the good news that was announced to you.

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REFLECTION

Peter writes to his community of what God has done and how they should respond. There is a lot to look at for them and for us. 

Prepare mind

be disciplined

set hope on grace

do not conform to old desires

be holy (set apart for God) 

call God father

Reverent fear

ransomed by Christ's blood

Through him you trust God

faith and hope set on him.

love one another deeply

imperishable

Hard to believe that Jesus' action comes with so much. How much have we taken in and are we living into. A life time is not enough. Thank God we have eternity.

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Matthew 28.8-15a

8 So they (the women) left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’ 11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, ‘You must say, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.” 14 If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.

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REFLECTION

The Gospel focuses on a resurrection encounter. We are reminded that it happened, Jesus rose from the dead. I believe it is important to note that it was the women who were at the tomb and the first to see him raised. Why did God pick women? I think this was important for the change in how the culture saw women in the new way. 

We see in this account that Matthew is dealing with a story that was in the Jewish community that Jesus had not been raised but taken by his disciples. Even in the early church there was fear of Jesus' resurrection and the want to sow seeds of doubt over the truth. Interestingly this view does still exist, but the belief in the resurrection has been widely accepted, why? Because belief is not about proof, or knowledge, but the Holy Spirit revealing the truth to people.

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