2024/05/05 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Sixth Sunday of Easter
- Marta Stepniak, Dir. of Evangelization, Children’s & Leader Formation
The Acts passage in today’s First Reading continues to tell the story of the advance of the Gospel. The larger narrative of Acts 10 is the story of God preparing Peter to be part of the conversion of Cornelius.
The linear distance between Jappa where Peter was and Caesarea where Cornelius was is about 35 miles. By comparison, the religious distance between them is much greater. God brings Peter and Cornelius together, and the religious distance ultimately vanishes.
Close your eyes and imagine: a steady breeze off the Mediterranean Sea washed over you and you stood in the ruins of the ancient Roman city. Then notice Peter speaking to Cornelius.
Are you able to feel the movement of the Holy Spirt? At that moment, are you able to connect and recall the Day of Pentecost with the sound of wind followed by the filling of the Spirit?
When Peter sees the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he asks, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?" In this moment, the wide religious distance between Peter and his hosts collapses. Is this question from Peter a challenge for you? It is a challenge for me. Am I looking for those places where I see God expanding the community and collapsing the distances between people? What communities am I a part of that celebrate such work of the Holy Spirit? When have I been Peter in the story and moved to include people not like me into community? When have I been Cornelius, the one who is different and welcomed?
I have been both and I have been each. Through these experiences, God's Spirit led me to a new understanding of the inclusion of all peoples in the plan of salvation. Every day I ask God to continue His work in me, insider or outsider, bringing me closer to Him and to other people on the wind and the outpouring of His Spirit.
After reading today’s Second Reading(1 John 4:7-10), the question came to my mind: How does my assurance of God’s love for me move me to love others?
Growing up I could see that most days my father lived out the sacrament of marriage, not only calling my mother his “bride” but mostly he lost himself for this love. I know that it wasn’t perfect but it was a truly faithful love. Even with such an example to live by, those words in scripture remain difficult to grasp. Maybe this is because our culture desensitized love to the point that it has lost its meaning. Maybe it is because freely offering love has led to being hurt in a variety of ways. If we love one another, we are born of God and know God. When we offer small doses of love, God completes what we cannot offer. This is true as we consider loving ourselves, perhaps the most difficult love to appreciate well and the most resistant to grace. We are so hard on ourselves.
God’s love is perfected, completed in relationship with other human beings and within the Trinity. Love is activated, fulfilled and given a voice only when it is given away. Love is powerful in relationship, and this relationship manifests: “God is Love”. If we maintain animosity towards others, we cannot remain in the love of God. In John, Jesus states that we must remain in Him if we want to bear good fruit for God. So I challenge you with my question: How does your assurance of God’s love for you move you to love others?
After reading the First Reading, I ask God to continue His work in me, insider or outsider, bringing me closer to Him and to other people on the wind and the outpouring of his Spirit.
After the Second Reading, I ask God that His love speak fully into me. When my attempts at love fall short, let your love complete what I cannot offer on my own.
What do you ask God for?